Inkinators: Christmas 2015
by TheSwimmingSquid
Summary: Pieces of snow were falling over the roads filled with cars and smog. On the shops' windows, large tags with a number next to a % symbol, above the word "OFF". On the snow, multiple snowsquids rose by the hands of young Inklings. Mirii, Hun, Grina and Bars are walking through a mall, very familiar to many. Will their presents contain relax and normality... or adventure and magic?
1. Prologue - Shopping in Arowana Mall

**Merry Christmas! As a gift for those readers, who are never satisfied with stories and Squids, here's a new Inkinators story for all of you! Let's see what Mirii, Hun, Grina and Bars are doing in those days full of delicious food to eat and presents to unwrap. This story could be seen as a spinoff of the main story, which is Inkinators: a Splatoon fanfiction. Although, it's officially included in the timeline, which it's going to be revealed much later.**

 **One more thing: the summary is announcing that the story is around the 4 main characters (Mirii, Hun, Grina and Bars). The events will be shown later, as said information counts as a spoiler: for now, let's just see what the Inkinators are doing in this story... then the Fantasy/Adventure part of the story will eventually show up.**

 **If you liked this long prologue, please let me know about your opinion with your review!**

* * *

Fluffy pieces of snow slowly fall down, while zigzagging, resting on the sidewalk. Inklings were walking on the sidewalk, while carrying an open umbrella with one or two hands. Most of the girls were wearing a puffy jacket, some of those even reach their knees.

Young kids were on the field covered by a long snow carpet: they picked up a small chunk of snow, throwing it at each other. They were laughing, others were rubbing the snow off their faces. Other kids were forming a large snowball, with their hands: two kids were carrying a smaller, but still large snowball towards the other one.

They put it on the top of the larger snowball. A female child puts another snowball on the top of the medium one: there were two small pieces of coal above a carrot with the tip pointing ahead. The same girl lies her hands in her jacket's pockets, as she picks out other pieces of coal.

She puts one on the bottom-left part, then she puts another one down-right near the first piece of coal. She keeps putting coal, following an U-shaped arc: the girl smiles, once she backs behind a little. A kid puts a top hat on the smaller snowball: it inclined a little to right. The same kid pulls it to the left, now standing on the center.

A girl wraps a checkered red and black scarf, between the bottom of the small snowball and the top of the medium snowball. Another one puts three pieces of coal on the medium snowball's center side in a vertical line. Two kids are holding one brown branch each: they put it respectively on the left and right side of the medium snowball.

They walked backwards, near the other 3 kids: they all were looking at a smiling snowsquid. They jumped, laughing and singing a song. Not too far away, Grina was staring at the kids: she grows a wide smile, reaching her cheeks. She lets out a loud sigh.

"When snow was down on the ground, the first thing I always do was forming a large snowball…" She turns over, as her head lowers down a little and her eyes are closed. "… and from there, recreating Mr. Snow every year."

"Mr. Snow?" Bars raises his right eyebrow, as his hands were in his black jacket's pockets, with his arms a little bended.

"Yep!" She opens her eyes, widely smiling. "It has been 5 years since I recreate my snow buddy!"

The girl suddenly expands her eyes, hitting her right palm with her left fist.

"Hey, hey… how about… we build him again?!" Her eyes sparkle, her mouth is open and both her fists are close together, as her arms are bended.

The girl was looking from the left: Bars, Mirii and Hun. Mirii was wearing a black Bobble Hat, a long puffy white jacket with the image of mountains on the bottom left: under a text reading "Inkline". She was wearing dark-blue boots, with red laces. She snorted, slowly shaking her head and folding her arms.

"Grina, how old are you?" She slightly raises her head.

"Old enough to build another snowsquid!" Grina stands on her left leg, striking her left fist up in the air.

"Complete nonsense…" Mirii frowns a little. "Kids have plenty of time, building snowsquids around. We don't."

"Aaaawww, come on!" Grina raises her eyebrows, clasping her hands.

"Grina!" Mirii frowns even more, stretching down her fists. "Squidsmas is coming in 3 days and the Arowana Mall announced Last-Ditch Offers for different types of products!"

"Ehm… I knew that, smart girl." Grina raises her left eyebrow.

"Judging from your childish attitude, you were so immersed into your nostalgic dreams, that your mind completely forgot the tasks you clearly stated before." Mirii lowers her eyelids, faintly snorting.

Grina grumbled loudly, as her eyelids were lowered to the middle and her mouth is downturned.

"You just had to attempt at being more annoying than an Alarm clock, hmm?" Her head turns as her eyes were pointing at Mirii, passing ahead from her right.

"Speaks the one who forces her friends, to participate in those kiddy activities." Mirii closes her eyes for a moment.

Grina slams her hands on her legs, as she looks at Bars, shaking her head. The boy shrugs.

"Girl, maybe another time? Like, I do want to see some funky stuff." He walks over Grina.

"Videogames, eh?" Her left eye winks at him, as her left elbow hits Bars' right side.

"Eh eh! That's a secret to everybody!" His right eye wink at her, as he smiles.

Grina blushes a little, slightly lowering her head and smiling too.

"Wait, Mirii!" Hun runs over the short girl with long green tentacles.

The girl stops, near a small hill of snow on her right. She turns sideways from her left, as her left iris fell on her eyes' left corners, pointed towards the boy: her cheeks got a little red and her mouth opens slightly.

A bright yellow light and a collection of voices are spread within the walls. Numerous Inklings and Jellyfishes were either walking over a direction, staring at the shop windows outside or standing on one of the escalators' steps, as they were moving either diagonally up or down.

Ropes with sparkling lights were tied from one point of the tall walls, going above everyone's heads and reaching another point. Some ropes were forming large shape-like stars and presents. The shop windows' edges had a puffy white material, with 2 inches presents on separated points either colored in red, blue and green, as gold ribbons were wrapped around them, with a bow on their lids.

Hun's eyes kept jumping from one smaller present on another.

"Wow! How did they attached those so well?" His forefinger was slowly moving over a red present.

"Hunley, those are just decoration." Mirii's right hand fell on his right shoulder.

She was wearing wooly, white gloves. Gently, the girl pulls the boy behind.

"Ah… I knew there was something weird about them!" He turns around, as his eyebrows are lowered a bit.

Mirii smiles, retreating her hand and seeing right on his eyes.

"I'm sure you were figuring it out, quickly enough." She closes her eyes.

The boy smiles too.

"Come on, Barsy! Put some speed on those feet!"

Mirii turns on her right, opening her eyes: Grina was staring over a tall tower of trembling presents and shop bags, each of different color. On the center of a purple shop bag, a round magenta logo with 2 transparent circles in the middle with the words reading "Tentatek".

Another shop bag, decorated with mountains on the top and a forest on the bottom, with a lake at the mountain's foot. The logo "Inkline" was located right in the middle. A black shop bag had a Splattershot logo with the word "Forge" under it.

Under the pile of presents and bags, two hands who grasp a rectangular present, one on each side. The legs were bended, trembling violently.

"Anf… anf… uff! Grina! Puff! I-I have a qu-question to ask…!" Bars' voice was heard behind the pile of presents.

"First, put down all the presents." Grina holds her hips.

 _THUMP!_

Grina's hands rest on her head, as her eyes expand. Bars steps on the pile of presents' right side, as he was sliding his left hand on his forehead and sighing loudly.

"YOU, ELEPHANT!" Mirii walks over Bars, frowning a lot. "THAT PRESENT AT THE BASE CONTAINS A FULL SET OF GLASSES!"

"Uuufff…" Bars' back bends forward, as his hands were standing on it and his eyebrows rose. "Girl… like, if I got the world on my hands, my arms can't do nothing but begging for help."

"Tsk…" Mirii slightly raises her head, folding her arms. "I saw you lifting rocks taller than you, as long as your soul demands."

"Well… even giant squids run out of batteries." He scratches the back of his head, as his irises look up-left and his head lowers a bit.

"Hmpf! You think that I'd drink your shameless lie, full of sweats?" Mirii frowns even more, lowering her head but her eyes kept holding their sight onto the boy.

"Yuck!" Grina frowns, as she sticks out her tongue and her left cheek rose. "I don't even wanna know where you get all this disgusting imagination…!"

"Whatever! What's your question, Bars?" Mirii holds her hips, tapping the crystal-clear tile in a rhombus shape.

"Ehm… why I'm the one who has to be the truck?" Bars frowns a little, as his right forefinger points at his face.

"Because you are indeed a truck!" Grina grins, snickering under her teeth.

Bars turns over the girl, as his mouth downturns.

"… a kick-butting, awesome truck that's!" Her right eye winks.

The boy smiles, as his left eye winks.

"I was the one who chose your difficult task." Mirii strokes her right tentacle, with her right hand, gently. "The reason is all related to your bad habit, which manifests once we enter in any malls…"

"Whoa… girl, I'm like so far away from any animal logic. I mean, I'm a Squid-being!" His thumbs point at his chest, as he grins and his right eye closes.

"Should I really remind you, what's the first thing you always do whenever your feet touches the entrance floor mat?" Mirii's wrists are bended, resting on her hips.

"Ehm…" Sweat jumps out the boy's head. "The first thing I do…? Like… breathing?"

Grina holds her mouth with her right hand, as her cheeks puff and a loud noise generated from the inside of her mouth. Mirii keeps looking at Bars.

"You rush ahead, trying to find one of those videogames shops." Her eyes fell on an old male Inkling wearing a red suit with white lines on the edges, black shoes and a red hat with the same line patterns.

"Ah… really?" The boy chuckles for a bit, as he closes his eyes and scratches the back of his head faster. Sweat was staying on his forehead.

"Bars… why lying on such fact?" Mirii frowns, as she folds her arms. "We always find you inside one of those shops, talking with a stranger or by just looking some videogame covers."

Bars sighs, as his back lowers a little and his arms were slightly swinging back and forth.

"Girl, what we did in those days are either stopping Stingrays bozos or dealing with whatever missions the organization asks for us! Like, I get to play videogames just for an half-hour!" He opens his arms, as his eyebrows rose.

"That excuse doesn't justify your offensive behavior." The girl frowns even more, as she lowers her head.

"As much as I hate to say this… I agree with Mirii." Grina frowns, walking in front of the boy, clenching her fists.

"You too?!" His mouth downturns a lot, as his arms are bended and his palms are thrust forward.

"You bet!" Grina's hands rest on her hips, as smoke came out of her ears. "We all walked together here and YOU dared to accelerate your pace, thinking more about your stupid videogames!"

"W-wait a minute!" Sweat jumps out from his forehead, as his hands moves back and forth in front of the girl. "Grina, I-I didn't want to go there at all, this time!"

"Oh yeah?" Her eyelids lowered in the middle, as her head rose a little. "Then, what were you doing earlier…?"

"Ehm… well…" He turns his head around, as his eyes were resting on a present, situated at the top of a pile of presents and bags, inside a shopping cart pushed by a female adult Inkling: its paper shows a red-white polka dot pattern.

What his eyes pointed next are a sparkling line in a shape-like star; an old man wearing a red suit; a shop ensign reading "Turf Academy"; a small Jellyfish sliding ahead, as a young female Inkling was running behind.

"BARS!"

The boy yells, jumping in the air, turning over Grina: she was frowning even more.

"I can't believe you lied to me!" She stomps a tile with her right foot. "You are a bad friend!"

She turns behind, folds her arms, raises her head while closing her eyes and snorting.

"N-no, please!" He runs over the girl with his eyebrows rose, as his arms wrap around her from her back. "I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

His neck bends forward, as his head approaches her right ear.

"I'll not do that, again…!" He whispers. "I-I want to stay with you…"

"Hmpf!" She blushes a little. "You care more about those videogames than me…"

"No…! That's not true! Like… like…"

He looks up for two second, then he smiles.

"… like I could spend my salary bonus for something you really want."

The girl expands her eyes.

"Really?!" She slides down, then emerges while turning behind.

She clasps her hands and her eyes sparkles.

"Look, if you are asking me to completely trash out some videogames, I'd pick up a hammer and turn the discs into a pile of small smithereens!" He nods slowly, while the right side of his mouth raises and the other side lowers.

"Whoa, whoa, mean machine!" Grina moves her hands back and forth, as her arms are a little stretched forward. "Your words already blew up all my expectations! I should had taken out my smartphone and took a video of your brave speech!"

"So, Grina…" He smiles. "What do you want me to buy?"

The girl widely smiles, leaving her mouth open. Air wasn't passing through her throat, for a short while. Her eyes blinked multiple times.

"Can you buy me…" She claps her hands, lying them in front of her mouth. "… the limited edition of Virtual Squid?!"

Suddenly, the boy slowly expands his eyes and his eyebrows rose.

"Like… th-that album which includes the Splat Splat 64 T-Shirt with the group's autographs, a Squid-Ray documentary about the band and the band's logo statue…?" Sweat appears on his forehead.

The girl nods, followed by humming sounds: her eyes widens even more.

"I saw 2 of them on that music shop, near the entrance! I'd rob a bank to have my hands on that precious, hard to find limited edition…!" Her fingers kept twitching, as she grins widely.

Around the boy, everything got dark blue: his eyes were completely pale and the right side of his mouth keeps twitching.

" _Th-that thing is going to eat everything gold I have in my wallet… and it's going to ask for them, even more!_ " His mind speaks, as he swallows loudly.

"Of course with that fatty wallet you have in your pocket, your purchasing power will be strong enough to obliterate any puny pricing shields standing in our epic, short journey towards ultimate achievement!" She bends her right leg behind, standing with the other leg, while keeping the same expression.

"Ehm… actually…" Bars raises his right forefinger, as his mouth trembles and his eyes are closed, while his eyebrows rose. "My wallet is kinda… uuhhmm… under-level…" He whispers.

Grina's eyes return to normal, as her mouth was now just open: her right leg stands on the tile and her face gradually forms a frown.

"… in other words, it can only tackle those videogame pricing shields…?" She folds her arms.

"Nononono! I-I didn't want to say that!" He shakes his head, as he moves his hands left and right in different orders, while his arms are stretched forward. "I-I meant… my wallet may be as weak as a bug, but I know more than one way to give it some buffs and strategic plans to make it squash prices tags wider than pancakes!"

"So… you…" She rose her eyebrows.

"Girl, let's get to that turfing castle and rescue your limited edition album!" His right eye winks, while smiling.

The girl screams, as she taps the floor with both her feet in a fast pace, bending forward while her clenched fists were in front of her mouth and her eyes were closed. She sprints over the boy, wrapping him with her arms, blowing kisses on his left cheek… when she suddenly stops, with her lips on his cheek.

The two Inklings' faces became extremely red, as both their eyes almost pop out! Immediately, the girl walks back, as she lies her hands on her back and twists left and right, while lowering her head and keeping up a smile.

"Eh eh eh eh… ehm… n-nothing to worry about, big boy! Just… a little… ehm… surprise!" She shows her teeth, chuckling behind them, as her irises slowly rose up.

The boy's left hand falls on his left cheek: he smiles widely.

"Well… better than a videogame's limited edition…" He slowly lowers his arm.

The two Inklings kept looking around, as in one-second moments their eyes meet, splitting up in different directions.

"Ahem!" Bars inhales with his nose, silently. "So, girl… like, shall we move to the music shop…?"

Their faces were still red: Grina nods, as her left forefinger was twirling her left tentacle's upper, thinner side.

The boy turns over the pile of presents.

"Wait!" Grina runs over them, picking the upper part with both her hands. "Your arms must be still beaten up…!"

"Nah. I can carry them"

"No, Barsy!" She frowns a little, as her arms were wrapped firmly over the bags' papers and the presents' plastic. "Seeing you carry that weight will choke my heart! Seeing you with half that weight, will ease the pain…!"

The boy smiles.

"Thank you, Grina."

The girl smiles too: together, the two Inklings walked ahead as Inklings and Jellyfishes were passing nearby… while Mirii's eyes were seeing their actions. Her arms are folded, while frowning a little.

" _I can't believe those two… they entered inside their world of dreams, in a second!_ " Mirii snorted loudly. " _At least, Hunley is with me…_ "

She smiles, turning slowly to her left: her eyes were seeing a short Jellyfish moving to the right and a male and female Inkling adults entering inside a shop, as they were holding their hands. The girl quickly looks around, letting out a gasp, while her eyes expand.

" _What?! He's not here!_ " Sweats jumps out of her head. " _Wh-where did he go?!_ "

The girl turns to her left again: multiple people were walking by, either pushing a shopping cart or holding shopping bags and presents. A bit far away, a large pine with multiple red, blue, green, orange and yellow round ornaments on the edges, along with small golden and silver presents; snowsquids; Inkling figures wearing a red suit, with a beard and red hat on his head; red-white candy canes; sparkling stars. On the tip of the tree, a larger gold-silver star.

Near its base, a boy with his back bending forward, as his eyes were resting over much larger red, blue and green presents, all tied in a bow with a golden ribbon. Mirii sighs loudly, while forming a smile: she starts walking over Hun.


	2. Chapter 1 - The coin

**Thank you for the review!**

 **Guest: What do you mean by "it didn't hold still for 1 second."?**

 **If you are liking this story so far, please write a review about it.**

* * *

The boy was smiling, as his eyes were pointed over a large red present. His knees were burning a little, while his hands were as cold as the floor.

"Hunley."

Hun turns behind, in less than a second: Mirii was standing still, her tentacles moved just an inch, her neck shivered as a small breeze passed near it.

"Stand up, please. Your back should go straight up, without forcing your neck." Her right hand moved up fast and down slow.

Immediately, the boy rose on his two legs, now slightly lowering his head as his eyes could see hers. The burning sensation over his knees was gradually disappearing.

"I was thinking about those… uhm… presents? Is that how you say it?" He frowns a little, as his irises go up and his right forefinger scratched the tip of his chin.

Mirii rapidly nodded two times, releasing a smile and grabbing her left elbow with her right hand.

"Ok. I didn't saw many of those, since I never received one of them… not even my sister! So, their sizes… do they have something incredible inside?" His mind was seeing a collection of vegetables and fruits, as his smile reached his cheeks.

"No, they must have polystyrene inside… however, the contents are not their purpose of existence." She walks over the red large present. "When people see just one of them, their memory starts to bring them into the past."

"The past…?" His head tilted to the right.

"Not literally." She quickly turns over him. "It's just… something very subjective." Mirii gently strokes her right tentacle with her right palm. "In other words, those are cosmetic items."

"I see…" Hun sighs loudly. "But, I must say… what my eyes are witnessing is simply incredible!"

His sight caught the large pine filled with various decorations; the presents; the sparkling lines above their heads; images showing small, young Inklings in front of a conveyor belt with a Squid plush, a small tricycle and a beach ball on it.

"In all those years, I never saw such thing! It's like I'm inside a dream, filled with wonders and surprises!" He smiles over the girl. "Nothing like that is anywhere near I live!"

"I figured that, since I know you… although, I think this year there wasn't enough budget and attention to try making people dream once more." She looks down-right, over a clean tile.

"Huh? Wh-why are you saying such thing, now?" His back bended backwards a little, as his eyes expanded a bit.

"I still remember, how last year there was a model railway who goes around the pine's base. There were small red sleighs flying around the same pine with even smaller presents on them. Last but not the least, you could see snowsquids and Father Squidmas characters walking around, willing to take photos with you whenever you please." Her mouth let out a loud cough, as her right fist stood in front of it, while her eyes closed.

"Wow… who had thought that there were other things, back then?" His mouth is open, as his back bended slightly forward.

"Yes… a shame, really. You didn't have the possibility to see perfection, this year." Her eyebrows rose a little.

"Ehm… Mirii, I still like all those things I'm seeing!" He opens his arms, while smiling. "If I wasn't with you today, I'd miss all those lights and… and… ah, presents!" He quickly rubs the back of his head, chuckling a little.

"Hunley." Her eyebrows were neutral, as her head shook in very small bursts of movements. "Someone who never visited Arowana Mall during Squidsmas time, should not deserve a second-hand experience in any circumstances."

"Bu-but I'm not seeing anything second-handed around! I want to stay here, looking for more… decorations? Is that the right word?" He looks up, while his right eyebrow rose.

Mirii nods, while smiling and grabbing her left elbow with her right hand.

"It's all new for me! If Fara would hear this, she'd sprint over here without me!" His fingers rest on his body.

"Sigh…" She shakes her head, slowly. "You can't comprehend the truth, since you never saw the perfect decorations with your own eyes…"

"I'm sorry, Mirii…" He lowers his head, as his eyebrows rose and his mouth downturns a little. His irises were still pointed over the girl.

The girl giggles a little, while closing her eyes and resting her right forefinger over her mouth.

"No, Hunley. You don't say sorry to people, when you caused no harm. Your identity shouldn't receive this kind of treatment… it needs more praises and victories." Her hands clasped, standing on her legs.

"My identity…? Wait, what did you"

 _Excuse me, young Squid._

Immediately, Hun turns behind: his eyes were seeing a male adult Inkling, with a sad frown on his face and a very small beard. His clothes were slim, with a dark-brown tone exposing on the left side of his shut green jacket and some spots on his blue-white striped shirt with a FishFry image above the middle. His pants touched the tiles, almost covering all his faint black large shoes.

The man shows his right palm, in front of the boy's face.

"Can you please give me a coin? My stomach can't stop grumbling…" He sniffed loudly.

Hun's eyebrows rose, as his right hand already fell inside his pocket: he pulls a little bag, with his fingers picking its tip. Mirii's left arm stops in front of him, horizontally: she was frowning, as her eyes were on the man.

"Walk away from us, or else I'm going to call the police." She sniffs loudly, frowning a little more.

"Wh-why?! I-I didn't do anything!" The man raises his hands in front of the girl, while his eyebrows rose.

"Tsk…" Mirii slightly rose her head and lowers her eyelids on the middle. "I saw many of you, who said the same things… they all asked a coin from me. I also know, what they are going to do with that coin…"

Mirii folds her arms, lowering her head a bit and frowning.

"They rush over the nearest bar, throw that shining coin inside the coin slot and try their luck with those eating-money machines. Almost all the time, they walk away empty-handed… am I correct?"

"No! I-I would never do that! I-I can't stand my stomach begging for food…!" His eyes got watery, his mouth was trembling.

"Hmpf." She shakes her head. "Just find a real job and keep the money you receive from your salary."

"Bu-but I can't work, miss! I-I don't have any qualifications or work experiences…"

He falls on his knees, as he clasps his hands while moving them back and forth.

"Please! I'm begging you! I don't wanna pass another day, while looking at delicious meats eaten by others! Even a salad would be enough for today!" Tears drop from his eyes, while he sobs loudly.

Mirii's eyes were resting on his ones, while her mouth was closed. Her fists clenched.

"… let's go, Hunley." She turns to her right, as her right leg moves forward.

She keeps walking, while her eyes closed. Her pointy ears rose, as her legs stop moving. Mirii immediately turns behind, as her eyes expand and a gasp left her mouth: on Hun's right palm, a shining coin was resting. He let the coin fall onto the hands of the man, which his smile grew wider.

"Th-thank you! Thank you so much! I-I can finally eat something!" He rubs his right eye with his right fist.

The boy smiles, nodding.

"Young kid… what's your name?" The man stands up.

"Hun." He bows.

"HUNLEY!" Mirii stands in front of him, standing in tiptoes while clenching her fists. "WHY YOU GAVE HIM A COIN?!"

"Mirii… he was really in trouble." His eyebrows rose.

"What trouble?! He used a trick to make you think he was crying for real!" She stomps a tile with her left foot.

"A trick…? What trick?" He tilts his head to his right.

"A… ah… uhm…" She lowers her head, as her right forefinger taps on her right cheek. "Well… I… I don't know exactly… bu-but he used a trick!"

She walks closer to his face.

"Trust me, I saw many of those babbling buffoons receiving a coin from old people and use them on slot machines!" She shows her teeth.

"… what's a slot machine?" He rubs his chin with his right hand, as his head was looking the ceiling.

"A machine that eats your coins, promising false winnings." She coughs, while closing her eyes.

"Huh?! Really?" His eyes expanded.

"Yes." Mirii nodded. "You let one of those machines to eat another coin, today…" She sighs loudly.

"Nah, it'll be safe."

The girl turns over the man: he smiles, as he shows the coin on his left palm in front of the boy.

"Please Hun, take back your coin." He nods.

"What?! No! You need to eat!" Hun shakes his head.

"My stomach never grumbled once. Really… this whole scene was nothing more than a test."

He let out the coin fall on the boy's right palm. The two young Inklings look at each other: their eyes were expanded and their mouths were left open.

"Congratulations, kid. I never met such a kind and honest person like you!" The man bows down.

"… excuse me, mister…" Mirii turns around, multiple times.

"Yes?" He rubs his own hands, while smiling.

"… is this all part of a television show?" She rose her left eyebrow.

He shakes his head. Her jaw dropped.

"Hey there, everyone!"

Everyone turns over Grina, as she was walking towards Hun with a pile of shopping bags and presents on her hands. Bars was behind, carrying a smaller pile of shopping bags and presents, with a large box spelling Splat Splat 64 all over the faces: they faded either into a lighter or a darker tone of brown. The letters had a red, green, yellow and blue pattern, while the 64 number was entirely colored in red.

Grina puts down the pile, as her wrists rest on her hips while smiling.

"What's up with this commotion? Did Mirii bite the poor mister?" She chuckles.

A vein pops from Mirii's forehead.

"Shut up…" She whispers, as she grits her teeth.

"You are all Hun's friends?" He looks at Grina, while he rubs his hands.

"You meant his BEST friends!" Grina's head turns over Hun, as her left eye winked.

The boy smiles, while nodding once.

"Eh eh! He's such a nice guy… he would cut his whole arm, in order to save someone!" She folds her arms.

"Ehm…" His eyes were pale, his mouth open and he was trembling. "Th-that's a little excessive, Grina…!"

Everyone else kept looking at the man. He laughs.

"What's your name, girl?" He stares at Grina, with a smile.

"Name's Grina!" She raises her right thumb, while sticking out her tongue and her right eye is closed. "Don't forget it or else you are gonna eat it!"

The man chuckles again.

"Excuse me, mister." Mirii walks closer to the man. "We need to visit more shops, purchase some more presents and prepare everything before dinner."

Mirii pulls her right sleeve, as a black wristwatch with a leather strap was wrapped around her right wrist. Her left forefinger's nail taps on its glass.

"Time is running out. An accurate explanation is absolutely required." She pushes back the sleeve.

"Wow, Mirii! You really want to chop his head off!" Grina frowns a little, as she looks over Mirii.

"Grina." The girl frowns too. "Before accusing without enough evidences, try to utilize some patience and open your ears. Now, I hope you'll have nothing"

"Alright, alright!" Grina moves her hands down, as she shakes her head a little, her irises were up, while snorting. "Go on spreading countless words over Mr. Nice guy."

Mirii sighs loudly, as she turns over the man.

"Excuse my friend, mister… your name, again?"

"… I can't reveal my name. Not to mention, it's composed by 30 letters." He rose his eyebrows.

"WHAT?!" Everyone expanded their eyes.

"And why you can't reveal your name out loud?" Mirii points her forefinger over the man's face.

"Well… because once you hear it, you'll know it." He rubs his hands faster. "People may see and talk with me, but they should never remember my face. Not that you will, that's…"

Grina and Mirii turn their heads over their faces: their eyes were a little wide.

"Dude… like, your common-sense is in another dimension." Bars frowns a little, while resting his hands inside his pockets.

"No, I'm sure that after 5 minutes, your memories will show you just a void of this whole moment." He smiles, while rubbing his hands slower.

Mirii covers her eyes with her right palm, standing like this for several seconds. She sighs loudly, while her palm slides off her eyes.

"Mister… the time is over. We must walk in another shop, so"

"Wait!" He thrusts his right hand over Mirii. "Please, hear me out for just one second!"

Mirii frowns. Grina smiles widely.

"Yeah… let's hear what Mr. Nice guy is going to say! Too bad I didn't bought some pop-corn too…!" She giggles, as her eyes were pointed on the man.

"Grina, I don't want to spend my time with this fool. Even Hunley wants to walk off." Mirii turns over the boy, with a smile. "Right?"

The girl keeps nodding at him.

"Uhm… I… guess?" He rubs the back of his head, as his right eyebrow rose a little.

"Hun, answer this question!" The man stands in front of Mirii. "Do you want to visit your childhood again? Do you let your friends have the same opportunity?"

"Huh?! Ehm… yes?" Hun backs away a little.

"Thank you!" The man smiled widely. "That's all I needed to"

"STAY AWAY FROM US!" Mirii stands in front of Hun, as she opens her arms over the man, while frowning.

The smile on the man disappeared: Mirii grabbed Hun's right arm with her left hand, as the two Inklings walk ahead.

"Excuse us, Mr. Crazy guy!" Grina passes on his left, while carrying her pile of presents.

"Gotta go, dude!" Bars' passes on his right, carrying his pile of presents.

The man looks over the 4 Inklings, as they walked over a shop with mannequins behind the shop windows, wearing thin clothes either holding a Basketball, a Tennis racket or a Soccer Ball.

"Well… sure that girl will not scream in my face, once she'll see me again."

The man turns behind, walking while lying his hands in his pockets.

 _Tomorrow, 6:00 AM… Operation Children will begin._


	3. Chapter 2 - Mirii

**If you are liking the story so far, please write a review!**

* * *

A plastic small cup was held by a pale, smooth right hand. Smoke rose from the brown liquid, appearing in a white color when standing in front of the window, which was showing a dark blue sky with square lights from 3 buildings of different height. The left hand slowly grasps the other side of the cup, then both the hands move gently over Mirii's face.

Her eyes gradually close, as her wrists tilt towards her mouth, while her lips held the cup's edge. She was wearing a white long-sleeves shirt, a medium-sized black skirt with a white horizontal line going along its bottom edge and black loafers.

A loud yawn goes right into her ears. Mirii lowers the cup, as her eyes opened and pointed over Grina: she was stretching her back, as her hands were forming fists, her left arm rose while her right arm bended, her eyebrows and cheeks were squeezing her eyes and her feet were standing in tip-toes.

She was wearing a blue long-sleeves hoodie with an old male Inkling wearing a red suit, with a white beard: under his black shoes, the words "Fresh but not cOLD". Each letter is colored in red-white, following an alternate pattern.

Her jeans were long sleeved and were touching the red carpet: a large hole on her right knee and small ones were spread mostly on her thighs. Wrapping the top of the jeans, a belt with a silver square-block, containing the words "Tentatek" under a horizontal oval with a barbell-like shape on the middle.

Her shoes' tips were white, as the rest of them was under the jeans' sleeves.

"Uff, today we sure walked and carried all those presents!" Grina yawns loudly, as her left hand stands in front of her opened mouth. "I can't wait to grasp my pillow…"

"Grina, I want you to answer this question for me." Mirii sighs silently.

The girl snorted loudly, as she turns on her left, while her head rose. She quickly returns in her previous position.

"This is another question related to the mall, right?" Her eyebrows rose and her arms were stretched down while her back bended a little forward.

Mirii frowns a bit.

"In all my life, I always remembered everything I did in a day… and even two! I can't look at myself on the mirror, if I can't find those 10 minutes I passed with Hunley."

Grina's smile grows, reaching her cheeks.

"Now I see, why you kept wondering and asking about such a little moment…"

Mirii stretches her back upwards a little, while her right eyebrow rose slightly and her mouth downturns a bit.

"Wh-why are you smiling…?"

The girl chuckles a bit.

"Isn't it obvious? Knowing your habit to always stay near Hunry, I can imagine you two talking about the future…"

Mirii kept seeing the girl: suddenly, her cheeks blushes a lot as her eyes expands and her right hand squeezes the cup, while brown liquid jumped out of it, landing on the carpet.

"WH-WHAT?! TH-TH-THE FUTURE?!" Smoke came from her nose.

Grina nods, laughing louder, while her hands were holding her stomach, her back bended and her eyes were closed. Mirii turns to the right, as she tracks down Hun: he was wearing a long sleeved shirt with square-patterns of green and dark green, long brown pants and dark brown shoes. Fara was standing on his right, as her eyes were watching Mirii.

"Ehm…" Hun's cheek were red. "I… I-I don't remember too, Mirii…" He shrugs.

"W-wait! I-I'm sure I-I didn't talk about th-the future…" She pulls the right side of her collar with her right forefinger, as smoke came out from her shoulder.

Her face was faintly red.

"Hey, Technie! If ya wan', I could stay outside so ya can talk more abou' the future with my big bro." Fara forms a smile, while her cheek puffed.

Now Mirii's face was red.

"I-I NEVER TALKED ABOUT THE FUTURE WITH HUNLEY! STOP SAYING THAT!" Her eyes almost pop out.

"Huh? You don't want to talk about the future with Hunry?" Grina smiles, as her hands rest on her hips.

Mirii turns behind, as her tentacles swing in front of Hun's face.

"Of course I want to talk with Hunley about the future! It's just that now"

Her hands quickly cover her mouth. Grina falls on her back, while laughing: she rolls left and right. Smoke was coming from her ears, as her irises were pointed over the red carpet. Her heart was beating in a fast rhythm. She jerkily turns to her right over Hun: he was red on his face, as a spot of Blue ink was under his nose.

"Hunley… I… well… I… want to go on my bed and catch some sleep… so… ehm… I… we… we'll see each other tomorrow!" She bows down, quickly.

"Ah… ok!" He smiles, as he looks his shoes while twiddling his thumbs.

He rose his head, as his eyes saw Mirii with a smile on her face.

"Then… good night…" He whispers.

Mirii frowns a little, as she shook her head in a small movement.

"Wh-what did you say…?" She bends forward.

"Good night…!" He coughs. "Sleep well and… and… hope you'll dream something very nice!"

The two Inklings smiled at each other.

"Aaaaah, she's going to dream alright…!" Grina grins, while folding her arms.

Mirii turns over the girl, as her eyes expand.

"After hearing all those words, she'll definitively see a room brighten up by a candle, a large bed with white, slim sheets… and a pile of clothes hanging on a chair's back."

"SH-SHUT UP GRINA!" She blushes violently.

"Aaawww, really? I was getting to the best part… you know, the part where you and Hunry are involved!" She chuckles behind her teeth.

"Grrrrrr…!" Mirii grits her teeth, as her face got extremely red and her fists clenched. "You better run to the North Pole, before your head will be full of bumps…"

"Tsk, tsk!" Grina's right forefinger was tilting left and right, as her eyes closed. "Father Squidsmas is going to bring you a lot of coal for that… but I think he'll not even show up, since he's going to hear intense conversations in your room."

Mirii sprints over the girl, which she immediately turns behind and ran over the hallway: multiple veins popped out from her forehead.

"THE ONLY THING HE'S GOING TO HEAR ARE MY PUNCHES ON YOUR EMPTY HEAD!" She rose her arms, as smoke was coming through her ears, while frowning a lot.

A sweat drop appears over Hun and Fara's right side.

"Big bro… 'hat girl coul' make a grizzly bear tremble…" Fara swallows loudly.

"I know… but how can you blame her? Grina kept insisting so much… she was kinda getting on my nerves, honestly." He frowns a little.

"Yeah, me too." Fara shook her head a bit.

The small girl stretches upwards, while her arms rose and letting a yawn leaving her mouth.

"Hun, I wan' to enter in the world of dreams now…" She rubs her right eye.

The boy nods, smiling.

"Yes. A nice little rest is all my body needs, after those long walks!"

The two siblings turn behind, walking through the hallway.

* * *

Small sun rays were passing through the window, resting over a pink bed sheet with circles of different sizes, spreading across: only the lines were colored in white. On the right, Mirii was inhaling silently while her eyes were closed and her head's left side was resting on a white pillow.

 _Ti-ti-ti! Ti-ti-ti!_

A sound was coming over a rectangular light-black box, with a text reading "06:00". Her eyes slowly open, while groaning. Her left hand falls over a button: sound no longer comes from the box. The girl retreats her hand inside the bed sheet.

"Ugh…" Her face was frowning, while her eyes are closed: her head shook a little and her right hand lands over her eyes.

She stood in that position for several seconds. Her ears caught a groan. Mirii turns her head to her right: after her eyes blinked multiple times, she sees a small girl moving left and right slowly, as her eyes were squeezed a little.

"… WHAT?!" Mirii jumps out of the bed, with her eyes fully expanded.

The small girl rose her back, screaming, while turning over Mirii.

"You… how did you enter inside my room?!" Mirii was breathing loudly.

"Your room?! I-I'm positive this is my own room!" The small girl looks around.

"False! I see my bag, my laptop, the perfect location of my kitchen and the door…" She looks behind, seeing a door. "Yes, it's right behind me. This is my room."

"… you are right… my room is much larger than this!" She grabs the bed sheet, pulling it up a bit. "I can't even find my school books hanging on the shelf."

"School books? Which school you are attempting…?" Her right eyebrow rose.

"Secondary school. Although, schools are closed since we are almost near Squidsmas…" The small girl left the bed sheet.

"Yes, that's correct." Mirii nods. "However, such information can't answer my original question: how did you enter inside my room?"

"Mmm..." The girl looks up, as she strokes her right tentacle with her right hand. "I remember brushing my teeth in the bathroom, then I walked towards my bed: I saw my school diary on the desk, the television which was shut down, the lamp with a light coming out of it… I can confirm that nothing was on my bed and it was much smaller than this one."

"I see…" Mirii caresses her right tentacle with her right hand. "Although, your testimony seems flawed with imprecision. Now, before we continue the discussion… tell me your name and surname."

"Yes, I will." The small girl jumps out of the bed, standing on her own legs.

 _My name is Mirii… Mirii Hanache. My pleasure._


	4. Chapter 3 - Rules of Childhood

**If you are liking this story so far, please send a review about it.**

* * *

Mirii's eyes were wide, blinking multiple times. Her mouth was shut and her right tentacle slides off her right hand. The small girl bends a little forward, as she clasps her hands on her chest. Her eyebrows were rose, as her small eyes were pointing over Mirii. She swallows silently.

"… excuse me?" The girl shook her head rapidly, once.

"Hmm?" The small girl rose her back, as her clasped hands now fall in front of her legs. "S-something wrong…?"

"… you claimed that your name is… **Mirii**?" She steps forward.

"Correct." The smaller Mirii nods.

She lowers her head a little.

"Although, I have something to say about my last name…"

"Your real last name is Kelpshell."

The small girl gasps, as both her hands are in front of her mouth.

"Wh-what?! But… bu-but how did you"

"I think that same question should be asked to you, first." Mirii walks near the girl, frowning a little.

The small girl steps backwards, while her eyebrows rose and her mouth downturned.

"Tell me the truth now… are you an actress imitating myself to get some laugh?" The girl squeezed her eyes a little.

"An actress?! Me?!" Her glove-like hands fell on her chest. "How can you be so sure about such question, if you don't even have any evidences?!"

Mirii's eyes expand a little, while her mouth widens horizontally.

"S-stop talking like me! Who told you my personality like this?! Grina?!" Her voice rose, as her frown increased a little more.

"Grina? Who's Grina…?" She left her mouth open.

Mirii stopped a word from coming her mouth: instead, she sighed loudly while closing her eyes. She reopens them.

"Very well. There is only one way to expose yourself in front of your own lies. I'll ask you a question and I pretend an immediate, correct answer: if you'll provide any wrong answers, you'll admit about this farce and then you'll walk out of this room. Understood?" She slightly rose her head, while her irises were still pointed over the small girl.

The little lady looks around quickly, then at Mirii, while leaving her mouth open.

"You don't have any rights to obligate me in such pointless activity!" She frowns a little. "You would better leave me alone, before I'm going to show you my anatomy acknowledge I just learned recently."

A vein pops out of Mirii's forehead.

"Now the question!" She coughs loudly once. "Tell me, what's your favorite flower?"

Suddenly, the small girl holds her breath, while her eyes almost pop out.

"W-wait… you… YOU KNOW?!" Her eyebrows rose.

"I said, tell me what's your favorite flower." Mirii slightly rose her head.

The little lady stared at the girl, while her mouth is open. She shook her head.

"N-no… I-I refuse…" Her mouth downturns.

"TELL ME WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE FLOWER!" Mirii grits her teeth, while frowning a lot.

The small girl screamed, while jumping backwards: her eyes were watery.

"My… favorite flower… is… is…" Her mouth was trembling. "… the Viola reichenbachiana."

The name echoes throughout Mirii's ears, reaching her mind. Her back was falling down, together with her arms. Her legs bended a little, while her heart stopped for a moment. Her eyes were perceiving the room spinning around. Her stomach crouched, as her right hand rests on it.

She walks over her bed, while stumbling. She sits on its edge, as her irises were glued on a soft carpet with thin white petals curling with other pink petals. The small girl let out a sob, while she rubs her eyes with both her hands.

"Now that you know my secret… tell me your name! I-I deserve the right to know!" Her voice was a little loud, while she shows her frown and her fists clenched.

"… my name… is the same as yours." Mirii rose her head, with her eyebrows up.

The small girl jumped, saying a loud gasp.

"WHAT?! MY SAME NAME?!" Her eyes almost pop out.

Mirii nodded, while sighing.

"I… I don't have any idea what's going on… but since you know something I didn't even told my brother..."

"My brother… Rof?!" Her mouth was covered by her hand.

Mirii nodded again.

"Yes. The young woman you are looking at… is you from the future."

The young Mirii stumbled backwards.

"No… th-this must be a dream…!" She slaps her cheeks a little.

"I'm sure it's not." The older Mirii shook her head, getting up from the bed. "Again, I don't have any idea why my younger self would be in my time… however, I can't left out the possibility we are witnessing an act of magic."

"An act of magic?! Th-that's ridiculous! Magic doesn't exist in our world!" She frowns, while opening her arms. "I can confirm that when I'll be older, I'd never say such conclusion!"

"That was the same thing I told myself too… until some recent events." Mirii looks down left, as she strokes once on her left tentacle with her left hand. She looks now ahead. "I could tell you all about it, but a large amount of time is required."

"Tsk." The younger Mirii folds her arms. "I think there's plenty of time to let me hear your story… probably it's going to be full of contradictions which with the aid of my perfect, flawless logic, will hit its words making them too weak to hold your tower of lies."

"Nnngghh!" Mirii bites her right lip, as she frowns a little and her right eye twitched a little: a large sweat drop appears on her forehead's right side. "It's like I'm insulting myself through a mirror…"

"I'm certainly not you, that's for sure." The young Mirii rose her head a little. "You seem a little too short, than most mature Inklings I met. I'll grow taller, reaching at least 5'9."

"No! That was the same thought I had at your age!" Mirii shows her gritted teeth. "When I realized that the others were much taller than me… I was already past my growing possibilities!"

"Nonsense! I eat healthy meals including salads and fruits!" The small girl closes her eyes. "Also, I never avoid breakfast, which is very important to receive energy… and of course, everything full of fat or harmful for my organism."

"You are also training Parkour skills, through the Squid Park." Mirii lowers her back, as her hands rest on her hips.

Young Mirii's eyes expand.

"HOW DID YOU KNOW?!" She grasps her tentacles.

"Because I'm you!" Mirii steps forward. "I did the exact same things, even those you'll encounter in the future!"

The little lady left her mouth open.

"… I… I-I'll grow that short in the future…?"

"I'M NOT SHORT!" She stomps on the floor with her right foot, while frowning and showing her teeth. "This height reaches perfection! Perfect for my agility and speed!"

"Bu-but you look like been a 14 years old girl…" Young Mirii rose her eyebrows. "… although, your physique is very good. I can't see any line of fat on you."

"Thank you." Mirii smiles. "You'll encounter many who will compliment your dedication and effort to look like perfection."

Young Mirii smiles too.

"Perfection… I'd never stop hearing that word. Every time I woke up, that word first appears in my thoughts. I dream to walk inside my own office, along with business men and women, sitting behind my clean desk with a paper on it showing profits… and then saying out loud: _I was in a world full of ingrates and hypocrites. Perfection saved all us… I want to hear all of you thanking such perfect philosophy, which upgraded all your poor lives!_ "

Mirii nods slowly, while smiling.

"Yes. Every word of it."

"Speaking of the future… I'll succeed in owning my perfect world-wide company, right?"

Suddenly, the girl's eyes expand and sweat appears on her forehead.

"Ah, ehm… of course I-I will!" She trembles while smiling and closing her eyes. "I-I'm still studying to receive admittance for university… the perfect university!"

"Interesting." Young Mirii nods. "I'd like to see the books I'll surely study in the future."

"N-not now!" Mirii walks near her younger self. "Because… because…"

Her older self stops, as her irises were looking her feet, then the rest of her body until her small head. Then, her irises fell down-right, as her head does small nods while her mouth was left open. The small girl tilts her head to her right, a little.

"Wait… you are me when I was younger…" She whispers.

"I believe there's no more room for doubt. You know everything I remember." Young Mirii nods, while holding her hips.

"Yes… but I also remember events you have yet to see…" Mirii looks over the little lady.

Her small eyes enlarge a little.

"You… you could tell me something to utilize in the future!" Her smile grew, reaching her cheeks.

"I have a better idea than that." She bends forwards a little, as her hands fell on her knees. "In the future, scientists discovered numerous ways to increase growth in children. Foods are even healthier and effective than the ones in the past. Since you are here and maybe for a long time…"

"… you'll help me grow taller than you!" Her small eyes sparkled, as her arms are stretched backwards. "I could reach 6 feet or even more!"

"Well, I'm not sure about that height…" Mirii looks to her right, then forward with a smile. "But you'll surely increase your height."

"Yay!" The small girl jumps a little, multiple times, while clapping. "I can't"

"No!" Mirii frowns, standing up with her hands on her hips, while frowning. "Don't jump around like a fool! You are suppose to be perfect, ever since you were a little Squid!"

Young Mirii stands on her left foot in tiptoes, while her left arm was stretched upwards with a left fist. She quickly rests her right foot on the ground, while her arms were glued on her sides.

"Yes. I'm perfect. I was… just stretching my limbs. That's all." She bows down.

Mirii smiles, while nodding and folding her arms.

"Good. Since you are still young and inexperienced… I'll utilize such occasion to teach you, how to receive even more perfection."

"So, my mother could be finally proud of myself?!" Her eyes sparkled.

"Mirii! Stop acting so immature!" She frowns a little.

"S-sorry!" Her eyebrows rose and her mouth downturns a little.

The girl shook her head.

"I don't want to see a sad face. I want to see a PERFECT FACE!" She stomps on the floor, with her right foot. "DO YOU WANT TO RECEIVE A SLAP ON YOUR CHEEK, FROM YOUR MOTHER?!"

"NO! N-no, please!" Her left hand rests on her left cheek, as her eyebrows were still up.

"Then, practice! Stop letting those drenched, futile emotions conquer your face and body! I want to see perfection! PERFECTION!" Mirii taps the floor with her right foot.

"Yes! I-I'll…" Her arms are glued on her sides, while her head tilts upwards a little.

Mirii let out a loud sigh.

"SPEAK LOUDER!" She threw her arms down, while clenching her fists.

"YES! I WILL!" Young Mirii frowns a little.

"Much better." Her older self nods.

She turns behind.

"Now, we must prepare ourselves. You will stay here in this room, without touching anything…"

"Ehm… Mirii, can I turn on the television and watch some smart animated shows?" She rose her right hand, as her mouth downturns a little.

Mirii frowns a lot: she turns behind, as she walks over her younger self.

 _SLAP!_

The small girl yelped: a red hand-sign was left on her left cheek, as it was covered by her left hand.

"SINCE WHEN YOU WANT TO WATCH USELESS, MORONIC CARTOONS?!" Her right forefinger was in front of her smaller eyes.

"… yo-you are right! I-I'm sorry for asking such thing! My mother… and your mother… they would slap us for that question…" Her eyes were watery, as her left hand massages her left cheek.

"No… they would have done worse!" Mirii tilts her forefinger up and down. "They would confiscate our smartphones, made us cook lunch and dinner, clean all the clothes and the entire house for an entire week… after several slaps on the cheek."

"How you can be so sure of it…?" Young Mirii sniffed loudly.

Mirii turned behind, while lowering her head.

"Because… that happened to me, in the future…"

Her small jaw dropped: she swallows silently, trembling a little.

"… but that will NOT happen, once you'll follow all my directions and advices!" The girl turns behind once more, frowning a bit. "Until you are 14, you will share your mother's house and that means I want to see absolute perfection from your part! Do you understand?!"

The small girl nods quickly.

"Very well." Mirii turns behind. "As I was saying before… I'll prepare myself, then I'm going to find clothes for your size so you'll be ready to exit this room and follow me around Inkopolis."

Young Mirii sighs loudly, as her eyes were glued on her older self: she was still trembling a little.

"I believe you don't have any questions to ask… excellent. Your mother will deeply appreciate that."

The small girl frowns a little, then retreating such action as she was herself from the future, going to the bathroom, then picking up her clothes and dressing herself up. She was wearing a black Bobble Hat, a long puffy white jacket with the image of mountains on the bottom left: under a text reading "Inkline". She was wearing dark-blue boots, with red laces.

Her stare scared the younger Mirii's soul. Her hand falls on the door handle, which she pushes down then pulls the whole door.

"See you later, Mirii."

The door closes. Young Mirii… frowns a little, followed by a loud snort. She looks around seeing the shut down rectangular television in front of the bed, a shelf above it with blue folders full of documents, a Charger weapon hanging on the small white desk's right side.

Slowly, she walks over the bed then she jumps on its edge. Her eyes were looking her feet swinging back and forth.

 _Knock knock._

Young Mirii turns her shoulders, seeing the white door. She looked on the bed, for a moment… then, she jumps out of it, walking over the door. She stands in tiptoes, as her left eye closed and her right eye looks through the small fisheye lens: from the other side, a tall Inkling girl with a grin next to a shorter girl, younger than 14…


	5. Chapter 4 - Youth's mystery

**Well, if you are liking this story so far... please, send me a review.**

* * *

The tall girl rubs under her nose, with her right forefinger, while sniffing loudly. Young Mirii steps backwards a little, as she bends her back slightly and grabs her right tentacle with her right hand, stroking it quickly. She was breathing a bit faster, but silently.

"So, is this the room where this Mirii is?" The younger girl waves back and forth, while her hands are on her back.

She is colored yellow, even on her skin. She was wearing short black pants, a white short-sleeved shirt with a red Squid sticking out the tongue from under the tentacles, while closing the eyes. On her feet, a pair of brown sandals with black laces. On her head, a backwards blue cap with a horizontal rhombus with the up and down tips colored in red and a word in the middle, reading "Zekko".

The girl on her right chuckled, while nodding.

"Yep! Either your future friend is having fun in her perfect world or she's hiding behind this door, cursing silently and wishing to see us in another country!" Her piercings were shining.

Mirii expands her eyes, then she frowns a lot. Her hand fell on the handle, pushing it down and pulling the door faster than a racing car!

"You giant belly!" She stretches her arms down, while clenching her fists and puffing her cheeks. "Return your words about me cursing and living inside my perfect world, right in this instant!"

The two girls stare at each other first, then over Mirii. The young girl was wearing a long dress with multiple flowers colored in white, pink and purple. Her tentacles and skin is Orange and on her feet, a pair of black, woolly slippers.

"... looks like Mirii knows already the majority of the news…" The tall girl blinks her eyes, multiple times.

"This is not the answer I was expecting!" Mirii folds her arms, still frowning. "I want to hear a complete speech about how foolish and pathetic your words were and ask for an official apology!"

"Wow! This girl may be a mouse, but she can roar louder than a monster truck!" The younger girl grins, thrusting her right hand over Mirii's folded arms. "Name's Grina and I'm going to be one of your best friends!"

Mirii looks down her hand, then over young Grina.

"What did you said…?" She squeezes her eyes a little.

"Uh? I said that my name is Grina. It's nothing too funky, pal!" Her right hand shortly moved up, then back down quickly.

"I understood your name… it was your last statement, which is full of contradictions!" Mirii stretches her arms down, clenching her fists. "I'd be sure to stay as much away from you, avoiding the roads you are crossing!"

"Aaaah… she just can't wait to be one of my best friends!" Grina's hands fell on her head's back, while grinning even wider.

"I DON'T WANT TO BE YOUR BEST FRIEND!" She stomps the floor, as she grits her teeth in front of young Grina. "NOW, LEAVE ME ALONE BEFORE I'M GOING TO CALL FOR HELP!"

Mirii's left hand move behind the door, as the girl walks backwards inside the room. Her left arm kept bending and stretching: her irises rose, as she sees a larger right hand resting on the door. The small lady rose her eyebrows, leaving her mouth open.

"Geez… she wasn't kidding when she told me, one of my best friends explodes in rage at the first, innocent joke…" Young Grina shook her head slowly, while closing her mouth.

"N-no!" Mirii bends forward, as both her hands grab the door and the arms were fully stretched over it. "Go away, please! I-I know how to hurt your wrists and limbs!"

"Calm down now, Mirii." Young Grina smiles, while stepping forward. "We are your friends. Friends never hurt each other."

"Stop saying that! Tell your sister to remove her hand over the door!" Mirii shows her teeth, frowning a lot.

"Sister?" She chuckles. "No, no! This awesome person right here is not my sibling… she's my last form!"

Taller Grina nods, while smiling.

"Good words, young trouble-maker!" Her right eye winks, while grinning, then she looks over Mirii. "I must say, though… you sure didn't change a tentacle throughout the years!"

Mirii snorted, as she stands still and raising her head just a little while frowning slightly.

"Tsk. Your words are filled with hate and envy. My mature form is the true manifestation of pure perfection. Much taller, much smarter and better physique than the dumb, fatty version I have the misfortune to meet."

Grina laughs loudly, as she tilts backwards and leaving her hand over the door: her right hand fell on her closed eyes.

"Wait, wait!" She breathes loudly, while rubbing her tears off her eyes. "Uff! Wow… I never laughed so hard, since that fall Barsy had when he tried to jump down the last two steps!"

"Wh-what's the reason for such tease?!" A vein pops out from Mirii's forehead, while her eyes expand a bit. "I demand a sincere answer!"

"Ha ha ha! Incredible! Even the words… amazing, just amazing!" Grina chuckles. "However, if your semi-perfect eyes didn't notice yet… your future self kinda lacks some height."

Mirii growled: many veins pop out from her forehead, as smoke came out her ears and her arms stretched down even more, while her hands form fists.

"HOW DARE YOU! I-I'LL BE INCREDIBLY TALL, ONCE I HIT MY 14 YEARS! I FOLLOW THE BEST DIET KNOWN TO SQUIDKIND, WITH SALADS AND FRUITS FOR LUNCH AND DINNER! I TRAIN MYSELF WITH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL ACTIVITIES, UNLIKE THIS BLOBBY FIGURE WHO KEEPS LAUGHING AND MAKING FUN OF OTHERS WITHOUT HAVING RESPECT OR A DIGNITY!"

The two Grina closed their mouths, almost forming a downturn: their eyebrows rose. The older Grina sighs loudly.

"Mirii, please… I never said anything bad about your height." Her right hand fell over the wall on her right.

"You said that I lack height in the future!" Mirii growled, while her eyes were squeezed a little.

"But I didn't mean to say it in a negative way!" She opens her arms. "Having a short height is so much easier to utilize, compared to a giantess like me who can be pretty goofy for a girl!"

"You… you are tall?" Her mouth is left open.

"You bet! Even when you'll be fully grown, you'll still notice my above-average height!" Grina grins, while wrapping her arms around her younger self. "But let me tell you… sometimes, I really wish to be as short as you."

Grina stands still while her fists touch and her legs move in place.

"How many times I saw those fresh-looking shirts at the shops… with prices as short as your temper! I could open my wallet, without even trying those shirts and pants out, but nooooo! Those shirts are too small for me! They never have something rad for my size! Except, you know… bland, generic stuff." She sticks out her tongue, while looking down-right, raising her right cheek and left eyebrow.

Mirii's eyes look over Grina: she was wearing a black long-sleeved shirt with white words reading "I don't cry in my own ink… I SWIM IN IT!", long black pants with an Orange line on the left side and light-green sportive shoes.

"Just awful!" She turns over the younger Mirii. "On top of that, some seats can really squash me like I'm entering inside a can of beans! If I was a little shorter, my life would have been much more fun than this constant nightmare!"

The smaller girl snorted, as her hands are clasped in front of her legs.

"With my thin body, I'd find perfect clothes even when my height goes over 6 feet. Not to mention, no seats would make me feel being trapped inside a can."

"But in order to be that thin, you must really close that mouth for many lunches!" Young Grina rose her eyebrows. "You should get a stomach instead of the complete void…"

"I have a stomach, in fact!" Mirii frowns in front of the small girl. "It's your future self, who just swallowed a large balloon!"

Young Grina inhales loudly with her mouth, in a high-pitch tone. She frowns a little.

"You are really asking to be covered in insults? Even when we are not insulting you?"

"You said that I should get a stomach instead of the void! You said it clearly! That offends my reputation and my perfect rank!" Mirii puffs her cheeks, while her eyes get watery.

"What are you talking about, Miss Victimofnothing?! If I wanted to give you a real kick in the butt, I'd have done so for real!" Young Grina steps ahead, while she stretches her arms forward and her fingers twitched.

Taller Grina lies her hands on her small shoulder, pushing her a little, while frowning and snorting.

"Do you want to see me spank on your butt in front of Mirii?"

Young Grina gasped, while shaking her head quickly.

"No! Wh-why would you do that?! Especially when she outright insulted us!" She looks over Mirii, sticking out her tongue.

"I don't care about those insults! I already know what to do, in order to leave out this huge weight I have on my navel! Just treat her as a friend, ok?" Grina shakes her younger self once.

"Bu-but, she's so mean!" She rose her eyebrows.

"Griiiiinnaaaa…" The girl squeezes her eyes slightly.

Her smaller self stared on her eyes for a while… before sighing loudly, followed by a nod. Grina smiled, nodding too.

"Now, chat with your new friend, while I'm looking for the older Mirii."

The young lady nodded again.

"Good girl!" She pats both her shoulders once, then she stands up and turns around, as her head was pointed over Mirii. "I hope you don't mind if my younger self is chatting with you for a while."

Mirii folds her arms, while frowning a little.

"I don't know… however, if you want to find my older me, she claimed to find clothes fitting for my size."

"Uhm… good hint!" Her right hand moves up and down, with the forefinger rose, while nodding. "A shop in particular came up in my mind… might as well get going then, since it's located right into Arowana Mall!"

"Arowana Mall! No way!" Young Grina's eyes sparkled. "Bring me with you! I deserve it!"

"Tsk-tsk!" Her forefinger was tilting left and right. "You are only wearing short stuff! Cold will make you dance the ice music, if you don't get something warm on!"

Young Grina sighs.

"Alright… you got me, there." Her mouth downturns a little.

Grina smiles.

"Then, see you all later! Don't become a stranger!" She grins, while pointing both girls with her two forefingers.

She walks backwards, then turning behind and walking ahead, now turning to her right. Young Grina waves her right hand over her older self, while smiling: she turns over Mirii, lowering her eyelids with her mouth downturned.

"Ok… it looks like you have luck on your shoulders for today." She folds her arms. "But don't think to outsmart Grina with your cheap speeches! As I said earlier, I don't care about your insults!"

"Hmpf. Your age?" Mirii pushes the door with her right hand.

"12. Yours?" Grina took her cap.

"I'm 12 too. It looks like your behavior doesn't match your age." Mirii closed her eyes.

Grina jumped multiple times, while stretching her arms down, in front of her stomach, as her back bends and her fists were clenching. She was frowning a lot, while puffing her cheeks.

"Wow! You are still insulting myself! You sure are getting salty over that height… stomach… whatever it was!"

"That's not the reason!" Mirii frowns a little, while holding her right tentacle. "You stated that my speeches were cheap."

"Well, the one that you made earlier was definitively one!" Her cap kept moving back and forth, while her left hand was holding its peak. "And should I even mention how childish it was? No, wait… even children could have done a more mature speech!"

"Grrrrr…!" Mirii grits her teeth, while lowering her head and frowning over Grina. "Your aggressiveness is truly disgusting."

"And your rage is utterly revolting!" Grina lowers her head, frowning a lot towards Mirii.

Both girls were growling, while their eyes were squeezed.

"Ehm… excuse me, girls?"

Grina quickly turns behind, while raising her eyebrows: an Inkling boy of a slightly shorter stature than Grina, with blue tied tentacles and skin. He was wearing a blue short-sleeved shirt: on the upper-side, pixel stars, a collection of pixel light-brown blocks aligned in a horizontal line and a white pixel Squid located up-left as the eyes were pointed over the blocks. Down-side, a white pixilated text reading "Have you played Squid Jump today?" and below the text, a pixilated collection of purple waves.

He was wearing short pants, as the sleeves were reaching his knees and a simple pair of blue shoes with red laces: two blue circle lines, filled with the color orange and a blue Squid, were each on one side of the shoe.

"What kind of party is going on?" He lies his hands inside his pants' pockets.


	6. Chapter 5 - Young friends

**If you are liking the story so far, please send me a review about it.**

* * *

The two girls stare at the young boy: Mirii took her right tentacle, stroking it gently. Grina steps forward, then her hands fall on her hips, while grinning.

"And who we have the pleasure to meet with…?" Grina rubs her nose with her right forefinger.

"Bars is the name and now I want to… to…" He looks over the ceiling, while lowering his eyebrows a little and scratching the back of his head with his left hand. "To… … shucks! I blew it out like nothing!" Her lowers his head, with his eyebrows rose.

The girl downturns her mouth, while her eyebrows are slightly up. She walks over Bars, patting on his left shoulder 2 times.

"That's ok, pal. Really… we all have our down moments!" She opens her arms, while smiling.

"No, girl… like, I was suppose to bust rhymes like a turfing Bust Bomb!" His head points over the girl.

"Burst Bomb."

The boy tilts to the left, seeing Mirii with her head rose a little while folding her arms.

"Huh? What's that?" He scratches the top-left of his head.

"The name of the weapon you just cited is called Burst Bomb, not Bust Bomb." She shakes her head, while closing her eyes.

"Ah… ok, girl!" He grins, while lifting his left thumb: he turns over Grina. "Like, yeah… it's like I have the Bomb Rush skill and I can throw just one Bust Bomb!"

"Burst Bomb!" Mirii frowns a little. "I just said that!"

"Whoa! Sorry, girl…" He expands his eyes, while his arms are bended and his hands are close to his body.

"My name is Mirii. I hope you remember such easy, memorable name…" She rose her head, while lowering her eyelids.

"Yeah, it really is easy, Mirri!" He grins, while his hands enter inside his pockets.

"MIRII!" She stomps the floor with her right foot. "EMPHASIS ON THE I!"

Bars jumped, almost over Grina!

"Whoa, whoa! Like, I'm sorry… Mi… Miii…" His irises look over the ceiling for a moment. "… Mirri?" He now looks towards Mirii, while showing his teeth in a smile.

The small girl's right hand fell over her eyes, while a loud sigh left her mouth.

"Looks like your name is one of those puzzles you buy from the newsstand!" She chuckles, while closing her eyes.

Mirii's hand slides down, as her face frowns a lot.

"Do you really think this is funny? Instead of laughing, how about you help him out too?!"

"What I can do to help him? He just needs to take some practice." She shrugs. "We aren't born perfect, you know."

Mirii's left eye twitches, as her face frowns a lot and her eyes widens.

"HOW HARD IT'S TO PRONOUNCE SOMEONE'S NAME?!" She clenches her fists, while standing in tiptoes. "ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO YOURSELF?!"

"Uhm…" Grina looks over the ceiling, while rubbing her chin. "Not really… mainly, because your voice is as powerful as a Killer Whale."

"WAIL! KILLER WAIL!" Mirii breathes loudly, then she closes her eyes for a moment. "How could you keep doing those mistakes? I thought that Turf Wars were popular enough, to let the new audience be familiar with all the key weapons…"

"Girl, like I watch 5 matches per day, on television!" He puffs his chest, while smiling, closing his eyes and resting his fists over his hips. "I could beat all those bozos with a swing of my awesome Roller!"

His arms gradually rose from below, while his fists were one on top of each other: quickly, he moves both of them down while making a swinging sound.

"Like, Rollers are so powerful… they splat everyone in just one shot!" He grins, while lowering his eyebrows and closing his eyes.

"Tsk. You would be already flying over the Starting Point." Mirii folds her arms.

"Oh yeah? Did you get me with that cheap Inkzooka weapon?" He frowns a little.

The girl shakes her head.

"You were standing still, while mocking your opponents… and I was on this strategic, perfect high ground position, where I aimed over your large head with my Charger."

His right eyebrow rose, while his mouth is left open.

"Girl… how can you hit someone with that thing? It keeps missing everyone!" He opens his arms.

"Because unlike your brute strength motto, I use finesse." Mirii closes her eyes. "It's like a calculation, which is superior to anything resembling barbaric."

"Ah ah! Good one, girl!" He claps. "Like, I would like to see getting beaten up by some girl's calculations!" He smiles.

Mirii opens her eyes.

"Do you want to test me…?"

"Huh? Like… seriously?" He lowers his eyebrows, while leaving his mouth open.

"Yes. I'm going to show you, what you can do with calculations." She walks towards the boy.

"Ehm… wait, I-I don't want to punch you in the"

"I'm not asking that." Her eyes are pointed over his right hand. "I can hurt you, without relying on raw strength. Please, show me your right hand."

Bars looks over Grina: she nods, while smiling. The boy thrusts his right hand. Mirii grabs his right wrist, with her left hand: she slightly twists his palm, pressing on it with her thumb. Bars yells loudly, as his left hand keeps moving. The girl immediately slides her left hand away.

"Dasquid?!" He grabs his own right hand, while his eyebrows rose and his mouth downturns. "How did you… how did you hurt me like that?!"

"Because I used calculation and finesse." She slightly rose her head. "Very effective, wouldn't you agree?"

The boy trembles a bit: slowly, he walks behind Grina while his eyes are pointed over Mirii.

"Aaawww… poor Barsy got scared from the mean girl." Grina pats his head with her right hand.

"Barsy?! Wh-what kind of name is that?!" He expands his eyes.

"… huh…" She looks over her feet. "You know… I think that my older self said a name like that…"

"Older self? Like… you have one too?!" He steps backwards quickly.

Mirii stops breathing for a moment. She shakes her head slowly.

"No… n-no, it can't be!" The girl grabs her own tentacles, while frowning a lot.

"Barsy… Bars… and the guy here has an older self too… so… so, you are going to be one of our best friends!" Grina's mouth opens by a lot, while smiling and tapping the floor with both her feet: she jumps over Bars, wrapping her arms around him.

"What the?! Your best friend? Bu-but we only met now…"

Mirii was stumbling a little: she turns behind, as her eyes rest over the red carpet.

"… is this a nightmare…?" Her right palm fall on her forehead, while whispering. "How… how in the world I'm going to have those fools for my friends…?"

"It's kinda a long story! But where is you from the future?" She looks right on his eyes.

"Ah, him? He's playing Squid Race in his own room." He shrugs.

"He's playing…?" Her right eyebrow lowers, while her left eyebrow raises. "So… did he bought you clothes to wear?"

"Nope." He shakes his head. "Why that question? Like, I'm wearing clothes now!"

He opens his arms, then turns completely around. Grina's eyes fell on his short sleeves.

"Sure, with that shirt you are going to tremble worst than a group of scared oysters!"

Bars laughed once. Suddenly, steps were heard. Mirii's hands open as the middle of her tentacles had finger signs. From the right corner, Hun walks out: he stops, as his eyes kept turning over the three young Inklings.

"Wh-who are you?!" He steps backwards.


	7. Chapter 6 - Briefing

**If you are liking this story so far, please let me know about it with a review.**

* * *

Grina and Bars look at each other. Mirii steps forward, as her eyebrows lower a little.

"We are too young to let a stranger hear our names. I'm sorry, but you should turn around and leave at once." She walks over the door, as her left hand grasps its handle.

"Wait… isn't that Mirii's room?" His right forefinger points over the door, as his eyebrows rose. "Are you all her cousins or something? I remember she has an older brother…"

"Wh-what did you say?!" Mirii covers her mouth with both her hands, as her eyes expand.

"Wh-what did I say?!" Hun jumped, as he waves his arms for a short moment, while gritting his teeth and raising his eyebrows.

Grina and Bars chuckled, while their eyes are closed and their heads are pointed over the boy.

"This guy should be in his own comedy show." Grina grins, while raising her right thumb in front of Hun. "I'm going to rob all the episodes and special editions released on tape!"

"Huh? What's a tape…?" Hun left his mouth open, while looking towards Grina.

The hallway was silent as the boy kept looking over each young Inkling.

"… you are joking dude, right?" Bars' mouth downturns a little, while frowning.

"Actually, I heard of that once… maybe from Grina?" His irises are pointed over the ceiling's square-line tiles, while rubbing his chin.

"Wh-what the?!" Grina shook her head quickly, as her eyes almost pop out. "You know someone with that name?!"

"Uh? Yes…?" Hun bends himself, while his elbows are on his body and his eyebrows rose. "She's my friend. Mirii is too!"

The trio look at each other, with their mouths stretching in a horizontal line.

"Man, wait a moment! Do you know someone called Bars too…?" Bars folds his arms.

Hun snaps his right fingers, while nodding.

"Yes! The guy who keeps talking about games!"

"What the shell?!" Bars' hands fell on his head. "Like… am I going to talk about videogames that much in the future?"

Hun looks over Bars, while his eyebrows lowers a little.

"Ehm… I… I think I heard that wrong…" He shakes his head quickly.

"Nah. Your ears are still in the new generation." Grina grins, while nodding and folding her arms. "That's, if you would stop living under a rock…"

"I'm from the farms." Hun smiles while nodding. "And I never saw this tape you are talking to."

"For real?!" Grina expands her eyes. "Now I understand why fresh people keeps appreciating the city…!"

"What did you heard, mister…?" Mirii steps forward, as her eyebrows are lowered.

"Hun!" He puffs his cheeks while smiling. "And what I heard was… was… … ehm…" He chuckles faintly, while showing his teeth, scratching the back of his head with his left hand and sweat jumps out of his forehead. "… what did he said again?"

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" Mirii frowns a lot, while expanding her eyes. "HOW DID YOU FORGET SOMETHING TOLD JUST A MINUTE AGO?!"

"Yikes!" Hun jumped, while moving his arms up and down. "S-sorry! I'm so sorry, Mirii!"

The boy expands his eyes, as he slowly looks over Mirii, from her feet to her head.

"... you… you look awfully familiar…" He walks closer, while bending his back forward.

Mirii walks backwards a little, as her arms bend and form a cross. Her eyebrows rose and her mouth downturns a little.

"St-stay away…!" Her back touches the door.

The boy nods slightly.

"Yes… now I understand!" He snaps his right fingers. "You are Mirii's younger version!"

The girl's face was covered in sweat: she swallowed silently.

"That's why you are here!" Hun's eyes fell on the door, as his right fist hits his left palm. "So, I'm not the only one who found a younger version in this building!"

"WHAT?!" Mirii's jaw dropped. "THERE IS A YOUNGER VERSION OF YOU TOO?!"

Instantly, Hun fell on his back. Mirii covers her mouth quickly.

"I-I'm sorry, mister!" She closes her eyes, while shaking her head.

The boy stands up, while rubbing off his white shirt.

"That's ok, Mirii…" He smiles. "Although you raise your voice often, each day… I know that at the end, you could offer your house to help someone in need."

The young girl gradually blushes on her cheeks.

"Thanks." She smiles faintly.

Her eyes spotted someone walking from behind: she could see tentacles swinging back and forth. Hun turns behind, seeing older Grina with a large smile.

"Hey there, Hunry!" She pats his left shoulder with her right hand. "As humble as always, huh?"

The boy laughs.

"Well…" His eyes were staring over hers. "I wouldn't be able to sleep, if I cause trouble intentionally."

She giggles.

"You don't even know what trouble is!"

Hun, younger Grina and Bars laughed loudly: Bars was holding his stomach, while young Grina coughed a bit. Mirii was frowning a little.

"Looks like I could be a comedian for real, with such laughing powers!" Young Grina grins, while folding her arms. "But why are you back to square one? I hope you didn't forget to get the money…"

"My most excellent me, you know that is money who gets us!" Grina nods slowly. "However, while I was reaching the main entrance, I saw Mirii entering inside this building."

"Why?" Mirii rose her head slightly.

Grina shrugs.

"She said something about the time. I can't imagine what kind of ridiculous, stupid theory she has in her mind."

Suddenly, Mirii frowns a lot, while her fists clenches and her cheeks puff.

"RIDICULOUS?! STUPID?!" She stomps the floor.

Grina expands her eyes.

"… oops…" She chuckles faintly, while grinning and closing her eyes. A sweat drop appears on her head's left side.

Mirii snorted, while shaking her head.

"Unfortunately, I can't say a word to people older than me…" She sighs loudly.

"Phew!" Grina dries her forehead.

"However, I can."

Grina stood still, while her eyes almost pop out: she jerkily turns behind, seeing older Mirii with smoke coming from her ears and a vein popped out of her forehead. Grina swallows loudly.

"Ah… eh eh, hi there Mirii! Ehm…" She looks around with her irises, while sweat keeps falling from her forehead. "I think I forgot to take my money, so"

Mirii folds her arms.

"You are really thinking that I'm going to punch your fatty nose, just because of an ignorant comment about my mind?"

Her eyes moved to Grina's younger counterpart.

"I hope you are going to teach some manners to your younger self, because your behavior keeps reaching a new low."

Turning her head ahead, Mirii stares at Hun: she smiles.

"Hello Hunley."

"Hi Mirii!" He smiles too, while closing his eyes.

"I need to talk with you and the others. The reason is rather perplexing…" Mirii's right forefinger rests on her right cheek.

"Is the reason related to the time?" Young Mirii slightly tilts her head to the right.

"Yes…" Older Mirii let out a loud sigh, while closing her eyes. "Specifically…"

 _The movement of the time._


	8. Chapter 7 - Time

**If you are liking the story so far, please send a review.**

* * *

Mirii was sit on a bed with pink sheets and circles spread around, each with a different size but all having just the lines colored in white. Her younger self was sit on her right: both had their right leg on the top of the left one.

Younger Grina was sit on a green office chair, as she spins around by pushing in a direction with her feet: she kept laughing, as her head was tilted upwards and her eyes were closed. The taller Grina was folding her arms, while lending over a white wall with her back: she's smiling, as her eyes were resting over her younger self.

Younger Mirii turns her head over young Grina: she lowers her eyelids, while snorting a bit silently.

"Would you please stop spinning around my chair? You could damage it."

Small Grina stops, by using her right heel. She stands up, as her eyes were pointed over the young lady.

"Then, do you have something to tell? Or a videogame to play around for 10 minutes?" Her hands rest on her hips.

Young Mirii frowns a bit.

"Don't you ever think that I'd own a videogame system in this very room." Her head rose a bit. "If I'd find a handled console under a package wrapped with a wrapping paper, in the next 3 seconds you are going to see me throw it in the trash bin."

Young Grina grins, while shaking her head.

"You look like one of those people, who just can't move the character around the first enemy they see."

A vein pops out from young Mirii's forehead.

"Wh-what's that suppose to mean?! Are you implying that I couldn't win a game?! I could control an airplane without even following a training course!" Her right fist was shaking.

Young Grina laughs, while covering her mouth. Smoke was coming from young Mirii's ears.

"Is this all you have to say? A laugh?" She breathes silently, once. "Hmpf. People who do this, have lower IQ and wouldn't be able to fill a correct number in any square in one of the easiest Sudoku tasks."

"Really? Good!" Young Grina folds her arms. "I couldn't stand seeing all those numbers scattered around the squares! Whenever I see a collection of Picross puzzles in a newsstand, along with a small price, I'm already throwing the money over the old man behind the counter!"

"Throwing the money… is your brain really that narrow into finding words that normal people would use?" Young Mirii folds her arms, while frowning a little.

"Normal people? You meant to say… boring people?" Young Grina chuckles from behind her teeth.

"Good one, me!" Taller Grina rose her right thumb over her younger self. "Even at such young age, my creativity was already into professional levels of freshness!"

"Tsk." Taller Mirii shakes her head, while closing her eyes and folding her arms. "If by creativity, you mean memorizing phrases that young people keep mentioning in any conversations, then the whole world would appear as repetitive as the typical spoiled brat who refuses to take any responsibility for her childish actions."

Taller Grina sighs loudly, while looking over the white ceiling.

"If only you would stop using so many words… maybe people could actually understand the message!"

 _Knock knock._

Taller Grina walks over the main door, then grasps its handle and pulls the door.

"Good morning, Barsy!" She sticks out her tongue, while her right eye closed.

"'morning, girl!" He raises his right hand, as he walks inside the room.

His younger self was walking behind, as his head was turning around and his eyes were resting over the furniture, young Grina and the two Mirii.

"'morning, girl!" He waves his right hand over young Grina, while smiling.

The girl smiled, while closing her eyes.

"Hey dude, like…" Taller Bars turns behind, as his back bends forward. "I said those words fresh from my mind!"

"What words, man?" Young Bars' right eyebrow rose while his left one lowered.

"Come on, kid!" He opens his arms while frowning a little. "I greeted the girl and you said the same stuff I said to the other small girl. Like, I crossed the finishing line first!"

"Ah… really? Then forgive me, man!" Young Bars pats Bars' left elbow with his right hand.

"That's better!" Bars smiles. "Like, I could denounce you for copyright infringement!"

Taller Mirii covers her eyes with her right hand, while she let out a loud sigh and bends forward a little. Her hand slides away, as her head turns over taller Bars.

"Bars…"

The boy turns behind quickly.

"Yeah?"

"If you haven't notice it yet… the kid you are talking to, is the same kid you were before your 14th birthday." Her hands rest on her legs.

"Right on, girl! Like, he even managed to get all the old clothes I had since I was a little Squid!" He turns behind, as his head lowers.

Mirii stood still, as none of her limbs or eyelids move an inch. Grina covers her mouth with her right hand, as chuckles were heard from behind. Same for her younger self.

"Like kid, how did you get that shirt? I was looking for that one ages ago!" He points over young Bars' shirt.

The young boy shrugs.

"Beats me, man. Like, mom returned home once and she pulled the shirt out from a bag."

"Like, for real?!" He expands his eyes. "I swear, I got mine the same exact way!"

"No ship, man." Young Bars' folds his arms. "That's because you are me after I eat tons of meat!"

Taller Bars laughs, while his left hand quickly pat younger Bars' shoulders. A loud noise came on impact, as the young boy's teeth gritted and his eyes expand.

"Get real, kid! Like, if you were me and I was talking to you, the universe would implode itself and Squids, our planet, the stars, the videogames and even us would be like lost inside this giant bubble of black void, where we need to find 7 red torches to light the place up and restore the entire existence!"

"Like in **A Squid Tale** for the Squidcube?!" Young Bars eyes expand.

"Yeah! Kudos for knowing such old, legendary console!" Taller Bars raises both his thumbs, while grinning and lowering his eyebrows a little.

"Old? Like… they just announced **Super Squids in the Shrine** to be released next year's first three months!" Young Bars opens his arms.

"Dasquid, dude?!" Bars frowns a bit, while his eyes widens a little. "That game got cancel"

"BARS!"

The boy yells as he jumps in the air, turning behind, while moving his arms around. Taller Mirii was standing on tip-toes, while her arms were stretching down and her fists clenched: she was frowning a lot, while multiple veins pop out from her forehead.

"Wh-what's matter, girl?!" He was tilting backwards, as he was standing on his right leg for a moment.

"CALL ME MIRII!" She stomps the floor with her right foot.

Bars falls on the clean white tiles with his back. He quickly raises his back, standing on his hands, while raising his eyebrows.

"S-sorry, Mirii!" He was trembling, while gritting his teeth.

Her eyes kept staring at Bars' ones. The boy swallows loudly.

"Like, could you at least take a breath for a moment?" Sweat was coming down from his forehead.

Mirii closes her eyes, while inhaling air with her nose silently.

"Stand up from the floor, Bars."

The boy stands on his legs in less than a second. He turns around, as he slowly steps backwards. Grina frowns a lot, while her younger self was looking her face. Young Mirii folded her arms, while frowning and staring over taller Bars. Younger Bars runs over younger Mirii, as his eyebrows are raised and his mouth is open.

"Now…"

 _Knock knock._

Everyone's eyes were pointed over the door. Mirii walks towards it, while passing Bars from his left. She pulls the door, as a smile gradually grows on her face.

"Hi Hunley." She pulls the door even more. "Please, come in."

Hun walks inside, as he waves his right hand over each Inkling: behind him, his little sister Fara which was waving both her hands towards everyone with a large, bright smile. Hun was wearing a long-sleeved plain white shirt, with long-sleeved brown pants and dark brown shoes.

Fara was wearing a white dress with long sleeves and a floral pattern all over. The small girl took her thin, white pants with both her fingers, pushing them down. On her feet, long blue boots with a bow of the same color, on their external sides.

"So, big bro… are all thos', their younger selves?" The small girl turns her head over each Inkling's younger counterpart.

"Yes! I wonder if they have the same age as you do…" Hun turns over his sister.

"I don't think so, Hunley." Mirii shakes her head, while folding her arms. "Fara only needs to acquire her skin, as all her fingers are almost formed."

Young Mirii raises her hands over her face: they were resembling boxing gloves. The girl kept bending her hands, multiple times.

"Anyway!" Grina smiles, while her back was bending forward, her hands were resting on her knees and her head keeps tilting left and right. "Where is younger Hunry?"

"Huh? He's not here?" Hun turns around, both his head and his body.

"Big bro!" Fara's hands fell on her cheeks, as her eyes widens. "Where is little bro?!"

"I-I don't know!" Hun walks in place, as sweat drops were jumping from his forehead. "Wasn't he right behind you, Fara?!"

"I kept turnin' my back and often I saw him smiling at me!" Her hands were lying on her mouth, as her finger nails were between her teeth.

The boy sprints over the door, holding the handle.

"Those hallways are all the same: let's get out of here before he's getting into places we don't know!"

Hun pulls the door: immediately, his eyes found a small young Inkling boy with his hands on his back and his eyebrows up. The boy stood there, for a moment.

"There you are!" He smiles, as he pushes him over Fara. "What were you doing behind the door?"

"Uhm…" He bends a little, as he sees everyone else. "I was walking over… when the door appeared in front of my face."

"Oh no!" Fara gasps, as she holds her own cheeks. "I was the one who closed the door, wasn't I?!"

His sister walks over the younger Inkling, wrapping her arms around him. She closes her eyes, as her right hand strokes his head.

"I'm so sorry, little bro… very, very, very sorry! I could never forgive myself, for what I have done to you!" She opens her eyes, looking his blue-skinned face.

"Don't say that, sister…" Young Hun's mouth downturns. "I didn't want to knock over the door, because I was thinking that my presence would… well… give you two some trouble, since you didn't open the door afterwards."

"Trouble?!" Hun frowns a lot, as he was looking over his younger self. "That would be such, if you were missing inside this building!"

"Hunley." Taller Mirii walks over taller Hun, while smiling. "There is no need to discuss this more… I'm sure he's going to remember this moment."

"Bu-but Mirii!" He turns over the girl, while opening his arms. "He's saying words that are untrue! He's thinking the wrong things!"

Mirii shakes her head.

"He's capable to learn from his mistakes, since he's explaining the reason to us. Trust me on this one, Hunley."

The two kept looking at each other… until Hun sighs loudly.

"Alright."

Mirii smiles.

"Thank you." She bows down.

"Ehm… girl?" Taller Bars rose his right forefinger. "Before you mentally delete the stuff you wanted to say"

"YOU FORGOT TO CALL ME PROPERLY, BUFFOON!" Taller Mirii was standing in tip-toes, as a vein popped out from her forehead and her fists were shaking.

"Pathetic." Young Mirii folds her arms, while frowning. "Seeing a young man calling others with such words, makes me wonder where he learned such childish behavior?"

"Like." Young Bars walks over young Mirii. "Every dude of my age are talking like this. Why in the world, I'd talk like any normal kid? They are always away from the group of people."

"Yeah! Exactly my opinion!" Taller Bars folds his arms, while grinning. "This dude sure knows how to live longer and fresher in this city."

"BECAUSE THAT CHILD IS YOU! YOU FROM THE PAST!" Taller Mirii kept touching Bars' body with her right forefinger.

Young Hun ran behind Fara, while trembling. His sister was frowning a lot, while looking over Mirii.

"Girl, that's like… dumb." Bars' shakes his head. "He can't be me, because… I'm me!" His right thumb points over himself.

Mirii's right eye twitched, while her eyes expand and her frown gradually grows.

"How could there be another me, especially from the past? Like, I wouldn't even be here talking to you!" He opens his arms.

"That's because this event isn't something related to our world's time logic." Mirii took her right tentacle, as her right hand strokes it. "I could describe the reason in one word: magic."

"Pfff!" The boy covers his mouth with his right hand. "Girl…!"

Taller Grina was staring over taller Bars: her eyebrows were rose a little and her mouth slightly downturned.

"Come on, Mirii! Like, since when you'd jump on such conclusion that easily? You kept hammering us with your evidence-only beliefs and then you go all bonkers over this old excuse?" He folds his arms, while tapping the floor with his right foot.

Mirii snorted, as she stomps the floor: the boy jumped a little, while his arms are bended over his body.

"ARE YOU IMPLYING THAT MAGICAL EVENTS DIDN'T HAPPEN BEFORE?!" Smoke was coming out from her ears.

"No, no!" Bars shakes his head, as he was moving his hands respectively left and right, then right and left. "I still remember that freaky adventure back in the forest…!"

"All of us do!" Mirii folds her arms.

"What freaky adventure?" Young Mirii's right eyebrow rose, as her back lifted.

"Ehm!" Mirii coughs. "Not now. I want to shatter this incompetent's weak reasoning tower into smithereens."

"Yeah, I'd like to see that, big shot!" Bars frowns a little. "Like, the world is round and the Moon is not made out of cheese."

"Hmpf." The girl taps her right cheek with her right forefinger. "There is one detail which is going to not only proof the magical reason, but will let you finally believe about your younger self's presence."

"Very well, girl!" He chuckles a little. "Go on. I'll listen."

Mirii nods, then she slightly rose her head while lowering her eyelids to the middle.

"So, Bars… do you know how many days are left before Squidsmas?"

"Ha ha, that's it? Like, piece of cake!" He grins. "2 days and we got all the presents in time!"

Mirii slightly lowers her eyebrows.

"It's correct… but now I'm going to ask the same question to Fara." She turns around, as her head points over Hun's sister.

The young girl was raising her left eyebrow.

"Fara, do you know how many days are left before Squidsmas?"

"Mirii, where do you want to get with this?" Grina holds her hips. "We all know that Squidsmas will arrive in 2 days. To let everybody know, I always counted the remaining days until Squidsmas."

"Me too!" Young Grina closes her eyes, while smiling, as her right arm is stretched upwards while her hand was forming a fist. Her eyes were closed, her mouth open and she was standing on her right leg. "And I'll keep doing that, even when I'll be 200 years old!"

"Uhm, Mirii… not to think that you completely forgot what we did in those days… but I remember that too." Hun lowers his head, as his eyebrows rose and his mouth downturns.

Fara expands her eyes, as she turns over her older brother.

"But big bro… ya weren't suppose to go in that mall?"

"Huh?" He looks over his sister.

"Yeah, I mean… you said to me yesterday, that ya wanted to get somethin' for mom and dad. Ya even stated that you had plenty of time, since Squidsmas was coming in 3 days."

Silence was dominating the room, for several seconds. Mirii keeps nodding.

"That's the correct answer."

"Wait a minute, girl!" Taller Bars was frowning a lot. "Like, I remember clearly that I brought that giant pile of presents all around the mall."

"And the limited edition of Virtual Squid, who Barsy just bought for me with his immense generosity!" Taller Grina jumps while making a high-pitched voice and clapping.

Bars blushed a lot, while he was smiling and laughing a little.

"Grina." Mirii folds her arms. "I remember what me, Hunley and you two did at Arowana Mall… however, the world never lived that day."

"WHAT?!" Grina expands her eyes. "THAT'S PURE STUPIDITY!"

Mirii frowns a bit.

"Before you are accusing the truth as such, how about you go to the Inknet with your smartphone and take a look at the most important websites…?" She rose her head a bit.

Grina stood perfectly still, keeping her expression. Rapidly, the girl picks up her own smartphone as she quickly touches the screen multiple times.

"No way, girl…" Bars keeps shaking his head. "I-it can't be real…"

"WHAT?!" Grina's jaw dropped. "AROWANA MALL IS STATING -3 BEFORE SQUIDSMAS!"

Taller Grina was stumbling a little. Bars' eyes almost pop out. Mirii closes her eyes for a moment: when she opens them, her eyes tracked a sudden smile over taller Grina's face.

"… eeeeh eh eh eh eh…" Taller Grina grins a lot, while she touches the tips of her fingers. "Don't worry Grina… the limited edition is still sleeping, under the desk… sleeping… like… you are doing it right now! Yes, that's it! You are sleeping, now… this is all an awful nightmare… and nightmares don't have any powers that let them rule over the real world…"

The girl walks over the door, while stumbling a little.

"I want to touch my precious… little box… containing the meaning of life… eh eh eh… eh eh eh!" She holds the handle. "I'll show them… that nightmares don't exist… only my limited edition is the one above everything… my little limited edition… eeeheheheh, HA HA HA HA!"

Taller Grina pulls the door, walking out of the room. Silence dominated for 3 seconds: younger Grina's eyebrows were rose as her mouth was downturned, while trembling.

"… am I going to really become this, in the future…?" She swallows loudly.


	9. Chapter 8 - Children's behavior

**As usual, if you are liking this story so far, please leave a review about it.**

* * *

Fluffy pieces of snow slowly fall down, while zigzagging, resting on the sidewalk. Inklings were walking on the sidewalk, while carrying an open umbrella

"COMIN' THROUUUUGH!"

Inklings turned their faces over Grina, as she was running over them. Her frown was large and her teeth gritted. Her right hand was holding Bars' left one, as the boy's eyes were wide.

"Whoa, whoa girl!" He keeps stumbling forward. "Could you please stop pulling my hand?! Like, my wrist is getting on fire!"

She passes near some Inklings, as they spin around and threw their umbrellas over the sky.

And old Inkling male and a young Inkling purple woman fell on the sidewalk, as their eyes were pointing over a large cloud of dust moving over the horizon. The woman looks down, over her jeans: there are darker spots near her knees and hips. She gasped, as a frown formed on her face.

"Ow, ow, ow!" The old man's right palm faces his back, as the whole hand was touching the cold sidewalk. "Daughter, are you alright?!"

The woman turns over the old man.

"Daddy! Wh-what about you?!" She stands up quickly.

She bends down and shows her right hand over him: the old man stretches his left arm, grasping her hand with his left one. The woman pulls him upwards, slowly.

"Your back is hurting again, right?!" She walks behind him, as she slides both her hands, respectively in a counter-clockwise and a clockwise motion, on her back.

"Aaahhh…" He closes his eyes, while his mouth was open and smiling. "That pain… I'm forgetting about it…"

"Excuse me?"

The woman turns behind, as her head lowers and tracked younger Grina's face.

"Did you saw a tall girl holding a tall guy's hand and rushing over here?" She raises her forefinger.

The woman frowns a lot.

"Saw…? She ran over me!"

Her hands fell near the spots on her jeans.

"I fell on the sidewalk and my new jeans are already this dirty! I just received those pair as a gift from my father, for my birthday!"

The small girl looks over the spots: they were almost covering an entire jeans' side. She swallows silently.

"Do you know her?" The woman's hands fell on her hips, as her eyes are slightly squeezed.

"Ehm… not really…" Grina's irises kept jumping left and right, as sweat appears on her forehead. "But… she… she knocked down my brother's smartphone and I'm trying to catch her! Bye bye!"

Grina sprints forward, as a ricochet sound left from her back. The woman sees the young girl, turning to the right corner and running behind bushes on a field surrounded by small brick walls, with snow on their tops. She snorted, while walking in front of the old man and raising her eyebrows.

"How are you feeling, daddy? Do you want to walk back home?"

He shakes his head.

"My daughter, I never bought any presents for my nephews at Squidsmas."

"Excuse me, old dude."

He slowly turns around, as he lowers his head and sees young Bars.

"Like, did you saw a fresh young girl passing here?"

The old man coughs once. The woman walks in front of Bars.

"Are you her brother that had the smartphone knocked out from that witch?" She frowns a little.

"Wha? Like, no way girl!" He shakes his head. "I'm the dude who's friend with the girl. She's following herself from the future, which is like running in the 100m event."

The woman's eyes expand a bit, while frowning a little.

"Wait, what did you say?!"

"Girl, like it's a school-complicated situation. I could say more, but like the time is whistling on me… so, could you tell me which way she went?" He opens his arms.

Her left eye twitched, as her mouth waves.

"Wh-what's going on today?!"

"Yeah, girl… like totally agree with that." He nods, while smiling.

She quickly shakes her head, as she let out a loud sigh.

"She went there." The woman points over the right corner.

"Cool! Like, thanks for that!" He walks ahead, while turning his back and waving his right hand over the woman. "Catch you with a couple of drinks, girl!"

"WHAT?!" She bends backwards, as her eyes almost pop out and her right hand fell in front of her mouth. "HOW DARE YOU?!"

The boy shrugs, as he turns to the right corner. The woman turns over the old man, as her eyes were still wide.

"Daddy, I think we should lit the chimney and sit near the nice little fire, while watching some movies." She grasps the old man's right hand with her left hand.

"But, daughter…! I have enough money to finally buy a small present for my nephews." His eyebrows rose.

"Forget that! Aren't you noticing what kind of persons we just met?! Today's horoscope said that if you are feeling the day is getting too crazy, go home and prepare yourself some tea." She pulls the old man's right arm in small bursts.

"Don't be silly… they said once that you were winning a great money prize that day and instead, you returned home with less money than before!" He coughs loudly, while clenching his left fist near his mouth.

"Excuse me, mister."

The old man expands his eyes, as he turns behind jerkily: his eyes were seeing taller Mirii with younger Mirii on her right, Hun on her left and younger Hun on his left.

"Could you please tell us, if you saw a young girl and a young boy walking by? Did they asked you some information about the Arowana Mall?" Her left forefinger keeps tapping her head's left side.

The old man stood still, as the woman was stumbling a little. He turns around, pointing over the right corner. Mirii nods, while smiling.

"I understand. Thank you."

The four Inklings walk ahead, passing the other two which turned around and see them.

"… my daughter… Squidsmas comes in three days, right?" He turns his head over the woman.

"Yes. Why?" She grasps his right arm with both her hands.

"I have mucus in my throat…" He coughs loudly, multiple times. "… let's get back home, before I'm catching a bad cold and forced to stay on the bed."

The woman nods multiple times, as both turned behind and walk in that direction. Hun was walking, with his head turned slightly over the two Inklings.

"Did you hear them, Mirii?" He returns his head forward. "Squidsmas is really coming in 3 days!"

"I know, Hunley." Mirii closes her eyes. "I took a look on the Inknet, before believing the sudden change in time and refer everything to you and the others."

The four turned on the right corner.

"Mirii, this is not the road for Arowana Mall." Young Mirii's head turns over her taller self. "I remember it clearly: we had to proceed forward."

"I know that." Mirii opens her eyes. "However, younger Grina doesn't know where herself from the future wants to go. That's why she took the wrong turn."

"Wait, didn't she ran after her mature self…?" Young Mirii tilts her head on her right.

"True, but Grina can reach a high speed while running. Not to mention, younger Grina probably didn't know where the stairs were, since this is the first time she's staying inside and the building is known for giving navigation trouble to beginners… thus, my friend couldn't follow herself throughout the city." Mirii's head rose a little, as her eyes were pointed over her younger self.

"Wow, that makes sense!" Young Mirii smiles, while leaving her mouth open. "I didn't thought about the first time reasoning, despite the fact I don't know about that building too. I'm just out of words, seeing perfection overflowing throughout me when I'll grow taller."

"Growing isn't the only thing who will grant you perfection… training, devotion and knowledge are also elements which everyone must follow, in order to truly dominate in this world and age." Mirii closes her eyes.

"Right words." Young Mirii clasps her hands, as they were over her legs. "Seeing how you figured out younger Grina's location, I can do nothing but learn how to always be able to know everything crucial. I'm all ears, in hearing any of your wise advices."

"For now, we have to search throughout the mall and hopefully find something which will lead us to the truth, behind this phenomenon." Mirii opens her eyes, as she stops in front a vertical line of a zebra crossing.

The other three stop nearby. There is a traffic light on their left, with a Squid colored in red located on the first light.

"Why the mall, in all the places?" Young Mirii looks over her taller self.

"Because there is a moment in our memories, where it's completely void. I forgot what I did in those 10 minutes, as soon as I was inside a shop near the large Squidsmas tree. I kept trying remembering anything I did in that moment… and still to this day, I can't tell you anything related to that fact." Mirii let out a loud sigh.

On the traffic light's last light, a green Squid appears horizontally, while the head was pointing to the left. The 4 Inklings start walking on the zebra crossing.

"I see…" Young Mirii looks down-right for a moment. "I would do the same. Not remembering a thing is literally like, not living for a moment."

Silence fell down: taller Mirii was frowning as her eyes were resting over her younger self. Young Mirii rose her eyebrows.

"Wh-what's wrong?"

"Don't say that, ever again." Mirii kept her expression.

"Wh-why?" Sweat was jumping out of Young Mirii's forehead.

Taller Mirii looks behind, as she sees taller Hun with his eyes over hers. She returns her head towards her small self.

"Just don't."

Young Mirii kept looking her mature self, with her mouth closed.

"Mirii."

The girl turns behind, as her head was facing Hun.

"It's ok, really. I don't mind about that at all, because it's only the truth…" He smiles.

"No, Hunley. No one should have the right to speak out such lousy opinion. Since I was the one saying that, I would like to give you my most sincere apologies." Mirii bows down.

"Mirii!" The boy rose his eyebrows, while his mouth downturns. "Please, you didn't do anything harmful! To tell you the truth… I wish I could remember more than usual. Sometimes, Fara tells me about my childhood back at the farm… and I almost couldn't add any details over."

Mirii rose her eyebrows, as her mouth downturns.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Hunley…" She lowers her head a little. "I know how to stay in shape… but I don't know how to let your brain remember more, than now."

Hun shrugs, while smiling.

"I don't even think about that, too much… besides, there is one thing I can still remember somewhat."

"Which is…?" Mirii left her mouth semi-open.

"That dialogue we had that one time…" His smile grew.

Mirii blushes a lot, as her eyes expand a little.

"You do?!" She whispers.

He nods, as his cheeks got red. The girl smiles widely too.

"Wait a moment, me."

Mirii turns around, seeing her younger self: her right eyebrow rose while her left eyebrow lowered.

"You had a dialogue with Hun…?"

Mirii blushes even more, while raising her eyebrows.

"Nngghhh! It's nothing important! Think about your perfect training, since I'm going to utilize it for the rest of my life."

Young Mirii frowns.

"What kind of expression are you making?! It's like I'm mocking myself through a mirror!"

"Curses…!" Mirii whispers, as she turns ahead. "Would you please stop talking about such irrelevant matter?! Hunley is hearing us…!"

Young Mirii puffs her cheeks a little, then she snorts as her head turns ahead and her eyes are closed.

"I'll remember such childish behavior and I'll make sure that in the future, I'd never let myself fall into this foolish buffoonery ever again."

Mirii let out a loud sigh, as her irises were looking over her younger self.

"I'm not seeing Grina around, Mirii…" Hun looks over another traffic light on the left sidewalk, an Inkling girl holding an umbrella, a small newsstand with an Inkling man behind the counter and countless magazines on it.

"I'm sure she's nearby. Probably asking for directions to someone…" Taller Mirii looks around.

"What if Grina took another road?" Hun's right hand moves up and down, as his head turns over the girl.

"She's stubborn, but not really brave… especially if she's a small child." Mirii closes her eyes for a moment. "I think she's going to stop somewhere for a moment or even deciding to take the road back. Probably she's going to meet with Bars."

"But there are many crossroads around." Young Mirii points over at each road going horizontally. "She could have taken the road, we just passed earlier…"

"She would see the rustier buildings and a more silent situation… she would tremble at the thought of entering in such way." Her irises were pointing over a young girl walking in their direction. "Besides, she's walking in our way."

Young Grina was waving her right hand over the four, while smiling, as young Bars was on her left and waving his right hand. Young Mirii, Hun and young Hun wave their right hands over the two.

"Hey there!" Grina grins, while her hands were on her hips. "Were you following us the whole time?"

"No." Taller Mirii folds her arms. "I used my logic to understand where you would walk around."

"Oh, really?" The girl chuckles. "Did I leave out some breadcrumbs behind?"

"Girl, like… don't make my stomach grumble! We kept seeing so many pizza trucks that I could order like 50 pizzas with chocolate and whipped cream on top!" He touches his own stomach, as his head is pointed over it.

"Yuck!" Young Mirii's tongue sticks out, as her cheeks raises and her eyebrows lowers. "No living being would be able to eat such monstrosity!"

"Unless you are dealing with this monster!" Young Grina points her chest with her left thumb, as her right fist was resting on her hip's right side, while grinning and closing her eyes. "Give me those kind of pizzas and I'd fly over the sky."

Young Mirii snorted, as she shakes her head. Taller Mirii coughs once.

"Now, we should head towards Arowana Mall." Her arms were stretched downwards.

"Why that place, girl?" Bars rose his right eyebrow.

"MIRII!" Young Mirii stomps the sidewalk with her right foot, while frowning and throwing her fists down. "MY NAME IS MIRII, YOU IDIOT! STOP CALLING ME"

"SILENCE!" Mirii turns over her younger self, while frowning even more.

Young Mirii yelps, as her hands cover her face and her eyebrows rose. Mirii kept looking at her smaller self for 2 seconds, before turning over Bars. Sweat was appearing on his forehead, as he slowly walks backwards and his eyes couldn't leave hers.

"I'll explain the reason, while we are walking there. Before we go, you should remember very well this simple rule you are about to hear." Mirii closes her eyes for a moment.

Grina and Bars look at each other: their eyes were wide, their mouth downturned and both were trembling.

"Don't walk over any shops, any artistic product or anything that captured your interest without asking me for permission first." Mirii rose her head slightly.

"Wh-why we should obey you…?" Grina whispers, while bending herself a little. "You don't have any right to… slap our cheeks…"

"True, but I don't need to rely on violence on you." Mirii's mouth stood closed for a moment. "I studied effective ways to use psychological methods, in order to punish children like you."

Grina and Bars swallowed loudly.

"Actually, I could use them to teach you some education and making you better persons in the future… however, it requires hours to reach such result and alas, we must reach Arowana Mall and understand the causes of those events." Mirii closes her eyes.

"And, what if we discovered the causes and we 4 are stuck here in the future…?" Grina's eyes were a bit watery.

"Then, I would use those methods on you… if you are violating the rules imposed by the grown-ups. If children are obedient, respectful and patient, such methods would only bring more damage." Mirii sighs silently.

"Like… I-I'm obedient, respectful and patient gir I MEAN… MIRRI!" Bars' expands his eyes a lot.

Young Mirii frowns a lot.

"Mirii! Focus on the i!"

"Of course, the same is for you… me." Mirii turns over her younger self.

"Wh-what?!" Her eyes almost pop out. "Why?! I'm you! You know that at this age"

"You are very young, too far away from perfection." Taller Mirii nods. "I must correct you, if you happen to show yourself weak and pathetic."

Young Mirii gasps.

"If I ever see you losing your temper again… I'm going to take drastic measures over that imperfection." Taller Mirii rose her head a little. "Understood?"

Young Mirii swallows silently, then nodding once.

"Good." She turns back over the other two. "Do you have any questions, before we walk over the mall?"

"N-no! We can go… Mi… Mirii!" Bars squeezed his eyes.

The taller Mirii smiles, as she turns behind.

"Follow me."

Mirii starts walking, as the others follow her. Young Grina was frowning a lot, while looking over taller Mirii: she kept snorting, as lowly as possible.


	10. Chapter 9 - The present

**If you are liking the story so far, please send a review about it!**

* * *

Grina and Bars were walking on the crystal-clear floor, where they could see themselves onto it. Inklings, Jellyfishes, Sea anemones, Prawns and Crabs were either passing them from their left or from their right. Grina's eyes kept falling on her right, as she saw different shop signs hanging on the top: "Fresh Looks", "Soldiers of honor", "Forge", "Stop and game" and "Shrimptastic Melodies".

The girl jumped multiple times, as her right forefinger points over the "Shrimptastic Melodies" sign, her left hand grabs Bars' right elbow and her eyebrows are raised, while smiling and leaving her mouth open.

"There it's, Barsy! My awesome friend!" Her forefinger keeps moving back and forth.

"Yeah, still with all those jazzy lights." He smiles, as he looks over the shop window.

There were 4 CDs, respectively in color red, blue, yellow and green, spinning right behind the shop window with the shop name's letters flashing in different colors after each second. Under the CDs, there were 3 screens which were showing a different group of people.

On the screen in the middle, there were two Inkling young women, which the one on the left's tentacle color were black and the other one on the right had a darker white: they were moving their limbs in synchronization. Their mouths were moving as well, forming words without sounds.

"Big boy, did you check that heavy wallet you have?" She turns over him, while grinning and closing her right eye.

"Why?" He shrugs. "Like, didn't we get back in the past? My money is still there, like I decided to sleep for the whole day."

"Ehm… come on…" Sweat was jumping out from Grina's forehead, while her eyes were closed, her mouth was forming a smile and her right cheek kept moving up and down. "We don't know a thing about this day… and consider a possible act of clumsiness!"

Bars frowns a little, while expanding his eyes.

"Girl…! Like, you kept pulling me all the way until the entrance."

"That's why you should definitively check everything out!" Her hands fell on his shoulders, while her left leg rose. "We could still have time to go back and find the missing elements."

The boy sighs, as his right hand fell inside his pocket and pulled out a black wallet. He unbends it, then he opens each wallet's pocket.

"I can see my money, ID card, your photo… all check!" He bends his wallet, then puts it inside his pocket it was previously, while smiling.

His eyes were now resting over Grina's face: her cheeks were blushing a lot, as her eyes were wide. The boy expands his eyes a bit.

"Huh? Wh-what's wrong, girl?" He looks around.

Her heart was beating a little faster.

"Barsy… ehm… do-do you have, by any chance… a ph-photo of me…?" She blushes even more, while her hands clasps and her head lowers down.

The boy blushes a lot, as he bends a bit backwards and his arms opened.

"WHAT THE?! Wh-why that question, Grina?!" He swallows silently.

"Ehm…" She looks to her left. "… you said that…"

Bars' jaw dropped. Their ears were listening to the chatter, a cheerful music playing throughout the mall…

"… heh!" He looks around with his irises, as sweat was forming on his forehead. "Like… uhm… uuuuhhhhmmmm… well…"

His eyes meet with hers. His mouth was wavy, his eyebrows rose and he was trembling.

"… I… I think you got it all wrong!" He scratches the back of his head. "I still have that photo where you, me and Mirii were like in the treehouse for the first time. Do you remember? We were right near the entrance!"

Grina rose her head, while her mouth was left open.

"Ah… … are you sure?" Her eyebrows were rose and her mouth is a bit downturned.

The boy let out a loud sigh, as his eyebrows are raised.

"Girl, now… what are you thinking?"

Grina picks her left elbow with her right hand, as her head turns over her left.

"Nothing… it's just that… you see… if you ever said yes… I… I-I wouldn't mind it at all, actually!" She turns her head ahead, as her forefingers are twiddling.

"Really…?" His right eyebrow rose.

Grina nods quickly.

"Really! I… I wouldn't." She smiles, while taking long breathes. "S-simply that!"

Their ears couldn't register anything around them. Bars inhales loudly with his nose.

"Uhm… well… I… I thought you would jump up or something… I-I didn't expect this reaction from you." He rubs under his nose with his right forefinger, as he looks to his right with his irises.

"No… I'm just very surprised…" She walks closer to him, very slowly.

"Ehm… eh eh…! Girl… like… ehm… ah, what about that limited edition?!" He snaps his fingers. "We have to fly there and get it!"

"What limited edition…?" Her eyelids lowers, her cheeks were red and her mouth was forming a small smile.

The boy expands his eyes.

"Wh-what are you saying, girl?! That Splat Splat 64 album! That thing you want more than anyone else!" He opens his arms.

"I don't remember them having a limited edition…" Her eyes were pointed over his right hand.

The boy blushed a lot, as his right hand trembles.

"What I do remember… is that this mall is full of details and decorations." She closes her eyes for a moment, then she looks over Bars. "It would be a waste of an opportunity, if I didn't take a good peek at them…"

Bars left his mouth open.

"Barsy…" She lowers her head, while blushing a lot. "Do-do you want to watch them… wi-with me…?"

Her right feet was forming a circle, sweat was coming from her forehead. Bars took multiple breathes, before opening his mouth.

"Sure thing…!" He chuckles, as he slides his right palm over his forehead. "We can do that, girl…!"

Grina smiles widely, as her left hand grabs Bars' right elbow.

"I-I hope you don't mind… if I'm just a little closer to you…" Her right eye winks.

Ink came out from Bars' nose.

"An-and do you even have to ask?! Like… ehm… I could even carry you all the way, if you are asking me to!" He puffs his chest, while grinning.

"Well…" She blushes a lot, while her right hand grasps his elbow and her sight was down-right for a moment. "… maybe another time."

Her feet started to move forward: Bars' ones started right after. Her eyes were resting on the different shop signs: her sight was glued on one with the words "Baby World". Her head gently falls on his right shoulder, while letting out loud sigh.

"Oh, Barsy… there is one thing I'm always noticing, recently, about you…"

His irises look over the girl.

"Girl… I noticed one thing about you too."

"Really?!" Her eyes expands. "Wh-what…?"

"Like, you are calling me with that nickname a lot…!"

She closes her mouth for a moment, as her eyes shrink.

"So… you don't want to hear that…?" Her mouth downturns.

"N-no! I-I didn't want to say that, girl!" His eyebrows rose. "It's just… well… you are saying that so often and"

"You know that I couldn't resist calling you with such name… it enhances your puffy, cuddly personality…!" Her eyelids lowers to the middle, as her smile reaches her cheeks.

Bars blushes a lot, while smiling and lowering his eyelids.

"Yeah, now I see… although, like you are missing the dominant part of myself…!" His eyebrows move up and down.

"R-really…" Grina blushes even more, as sweat was appearing on her hands and face. "I-I can call you Bars too, you know…"

"Also, girl…" His right hand fell on her left tentacle, stroking it once.

The girl's heart was beating very rapidly.

"I couldn't help but notice how your body is receiving this slim look… like, this job is really killing out that fat!"

Her right hand fell on her stomach, as she slides on it clockwise.

"Yep… I'm noticing that too." Her irises move over Bars' stomach. "I wanted to say that your body is in very good shape too."

"For real?" His left hand pats his stomach, as he looks down on it.

"Yes… we are all in such good shape…" Her left hand rests on his stomach, sliding around it clockwise. "So much time passed, since we first met…"

"Yeah. Like, I know you for many years." He walks sideways, closer to the girl, slowly. "And I must say… when we met the first time, no other days were the same ever since."

"Me too…" Her right forefinger curled her right tentacle's sideburn, as her eyes fell over an Inkling young man holding an Inkling young woman's left hand with his right one. "I kept smiling and laughing more, since I was around you."

"Well, girl… like, not even videogames could help me making my days better. When I'm with you, I always get to live incredible adventures and have like, a truckload of fun."

Grina stops in front of a large tree, decorated with all sorts of Squidsmas materials: large presents were around its base. The boy stops too: both were turning over each other, as Grina's hands fell on his shoulders and her eyes were sparkling.

"Barsy… suddenly, this place is filling out with so much magic… can't you feel it?"

The boy nods.

"Like, throughout all my body..."

They stood in that position for 3 seconds.

"Barsy… I just want to ask you one more thing…" She looks down for a moment. "That photo you have… honestly… is that a photo of me…?" Her fingers were twiddling.

"That photo you have… honestly… is that a photo of me…?" Her fingers were twiddling.

"Grina… ehm…" He looks on his right for a moment, while his eyebrows rose. "… sorry for lying… I-I didn't want to make you run away from me…"

"Run away… what a silly thought! Why I should run away from you…? I… I actually want to stay closer…" She moves closer to him.

"Girl… so, do you want to eat some burgers for dinner? Like… me and you… alone…" His left hand strokes her right tentacle.

"… yes, Barsy." She blushes. "I would like to share a burger with you… and… and also a milkshake…"

"And we could like… don't even eat in the fast-food restaurant. How about the treehouse…?" His smile was wide.

"What a rad idea… not even my genius could ever think of that…" Her eyes were sparkling. "You are the best, Barsy…"

They kept looking at each other: their heads were getting closer…

 _Thump._

Their heads stop for a moment, then turned down: on Bars' right and Grina's left, a large blue present with an Orange bow. There is a small tag under it: Bars picks it up with his left hand, moving it closer to his eyes.

"To Grina and Bars." His irises were moving along the words.

He lowers the tag, as he looks over the girl: both had their mouths open. Grina turns around, quickly.

"Wh-who gave this present?!" She looks back at the boy.

Bars shrugs.

"Like… someone who knows us?"

"Uhm… could be." The girl folds her arms, as her irises were looking over the ceiling. "I'm sure I don't have people with a grudge over me…"

"Me too, girl!" He smiles. "Enemies like, move in another planet whenever I'm around!"

Grina giggles.

"Enemies move in another universe, when I'm around!"

Both laugh together.

"Whenever is the case…" She smiles widely. "Let's just open it and take the treasure!"

Bars nods. The girl bends down, as her hands were ripping the blue paper away: her hands rests on the lid.

"Wait a minute…" Her eyes expand. "Wh-what I'm doing?! This could be our gift for Squidsmas!"

"Girl, like… why they would give it to you now? Squidsmas comes… when it comes?" He looks upwards, while his right hand was rubbing his chin.

"In 3 days." She sighs, while smiling. "I didn't thought of that, though… but then again, presents for me don't last even a second when I see them in plain sight."

"Yeah, I can see that! Like, I even catch it, then sprint in my room, lock the door and open it! Well… at least, that's the strategy I used, when I was young…" He chuckles a bit.

Grina giggles.

"One time I hided in the closet, while I was holding this large present!" Her arms were stretching far. "My parents tried to look for me around the house, for almost a half-hour!

Bars laughs.

"Now, let's see what this question mark present has for us!" She was grinning a lot.

Slowly, the girl lifted the lid… while a strong light was coming out from the box.


	11. Chapter 10 - Living statues

**Well, if you are liking this story so far, please send me a review about it!**

* * *

The 4 Inkling young kids were all looking ahead, as their mouths were open: a large building with long lines going around its wall, full of small shut-down lights forming Squids, presents, striped candy canes, snow symbols and Squidsmas trees. The words "Arowana Mall" were written above two automatic doors, as multiple Inklings, humanoid Prawns and Sea Urchins were walking by.

"Wow… just wow!" Grina swallowed quickly. "The mall… I don't remember those long walls and that large sign!"

"Like… what happened to that small collection of shops?" Bars turns his head over taller Mirii.

"People kept returning to Arowana Mall… and soon enough, new shops opened and appeared along with the others." Mirii looks over the sign.

Young Mirii folds her arms, while smiling and looking over the sign.

"I always knew this place adopted the best economic strategies, in order to expand and become the business paradise it's today." She nods. "It was an excellent move, dedicating a limited space for professional and regular Turf War matches."

Taller Mirii smiles.

"If I see the elements, any companies are utilizing… as well as their intellectual skills in knowing how to use them, I can explain what it's going to be the future for them." She let out a sigh. "They were all left with a surprised expression."

"Yeah yeah, it's easy to act all that smart now that you can see what Arowana Mall will do in the future." Grina tilts her head left and right, while grinning and turning over younger Mirii. "How about throwing out theories, when we were in the rustier times?"

Young Mirii frowns over the girl.

"Insolent!" She clenches her fists. "Lying brings nothing but a large spot of shame in my perfect career of knowing and discovery"

"Blablabla." Grina tilts her head, as her irises were looking up. "We get it, super genius! Can you also tell us, if we are going to find out the reason behind this madness of a day?"

Young Mirii was inhaling loudly with her nose: smoke was coming out of her ears. She steps forwards, when taller Mirii lends her left hand in front of her face: the young girl stops. Young Grina looks over taller Mirii: her face was frowning a lot. The girl expands her eyes, as she bends down a little.

"You…" Taller Mirii squeezes her eyes a little. "You don't want me to utilize those psychological methods on you, right now… correct?"

Grina shakes her head quickly.

"Then, stop trying to start a war with myself from the past. Because, I'm going to deal with it all by myself." Taller Mirii holds her hips.

"Th-that's not fair!" Grina downturns her mouth, while her eyebrows rose. "If my more awesome self was here, she would have told you one thing or two!"

"She would not." Taller Mirii shakes her head.

"Oh yeah? Why such answer?" Grina frowns a bit.

"Because she doesn't remember or even notice someone who declares an achievement." Taller Mirii let out a sigh. "But that thinking style is greatly missing from you…"

"Sgrunt!" Grina puffs her cheeks, while her arms are stretched down and her hands turned into fists. "I met people who keeps announcing whatever trophy, discussion or money they won! But they just talk and never show up their prizes, not even when they claim to have them nearby!"

Taller Mirii closes her mouth and keeps staring at the small girl.

"So? Does that mean they must be liars? How about you?" Younger Mirii slightly raises her head. "Do you have any achievements to share…?"

Grina frowns a bit, as her head turns over young Mirii. Her eyes were getting watery, her mouth was waving. Mirii rose her eyebrows and left her mouth open.

"Ehm…" She turns over taller Mirii.

Her mature self shook her head, while her eyes are closed.

"You were supposed to keep that mouth shutted." She opens her eyes.

"Wh-why?! I-I didn't say a lie, unlike this total buffoon!" Her right arm stretched a bit over Grina.

Taller Mirii frowns a lot. Grina gritted her teeth.

"WOW, WHAT A HUGE BUTT YOU ARE!" Grina frowns, as her eyes were expanded.

The two Mirii turned over the girl quickly. Grina stomped on the sidewalk.

"NOT ONLY WERE YOU TRYING TO JUSTIFY THOSE BABBLING LOSERS, BUT NOW YOU ARE EVEN INSULTING ME! HOW DID YOU EVEN BECOME ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS IN THE FIRST PLACE?!"

The young girl steps backwards, slowly.

"Grina." Taller Mirii's forefinger points over the sidewalk. "Stay here."

"NO! I'M SICK OF YOUR DISGUSTING FACE! LEAVE ME ALONE!" Grina turns over, dashing over the mall.

"Whoa, whoa girl!" Bars runs behind Grina. "Like, calm down a bit! Girl!"

The two Inklings reached the right automatic door: the sides were each behind the door's window walls, as Grina first then Bars second passed right in the middle, while Inklings were walking by. Young Mirii folds her arms, while shaking her head and snorting.

"I hope you are not going to slap me, Mirii." She turns over her taller self. "As you just saw, the real immature being was"

The young girl stops, as taller Mirii kept looking over the right automatic door. Her eyelids weren't moving, neither her tentacles, her limbs… not even her mouth! Air wasn't passing through her nose.

"… Mirii?" Younger Mirii tilts herself to the right, as her eyes were still pointed over her face. "Mirii…?"

"Huh?" Young Hun tilts over Mirii. "Wh-what's wrong?"

Younger Mirii touches her taller self's right shoulder multiple times. She took both her shoulders with her hands, moving her back and forth. Her eyes expanded.

"Mirii?!" She snaps her fingers in front of her eyes.

Hun's eyes were wide: he turns over taller Hun, as none of his limbs and eyelids were moving. Air wasn't passing throughout his nose, as his mouth was closed. His head was pointed over taller Mirii. The boy looks around, as he sees an Inkling girl with her left leg rose while standing on her right leg.

She was holding a phone on her right ear, as her mouth was left open. Above her, a bird with the wings open standing in midair. On the left, a chunk of snow was standing in midair as well. Not even the wind was heard…

Young Mirii slowly turns behind, as she sees a car standing in front of the right automatic door sideways: smoke was out of the exhaust pipe, standing there… throughout the window, an Inkling man looking ahead, while holding the steering wheel with his hands.

She turns to her left: a snowball was standing high, as a young Inkling girl was on her right leg while stretching her left one behind, while bending forward. A young Inkling boy's right arm was stretched with the palm facing the snow-filled ground.

"… wh-what's going on?!" She looks around more.

"Th-they are not moving!" Hun's eyes were getting wide.

"Like statues… bu-but they are alive!" Mirii walks near Hun. "They are living beings!"

"Yet, they aren't moving…" Hun's mouth downturns.

Mirii's eyes were getting watery, as her right hand stands in front of her mouth.

"Th-this is madness… th-this is not the reality!" She trembles. "I-I'm not even feeling cold!"

Suddenly, the girl gasps as her irises shrunk.

"Wait… don't tell me… are we… dying?!"

"NO!" Hun jumps as he looks around very quickly. "I DON'T WANNA DIE!"

Mirii looks over the sky for a few seconds, while hearing Hun's yells… then, she frowns a little.

"No… no, that was a senseless conclusion!" She shakes her head, while closing her eyes. "I'm still breathing, I'm still seeing you…"

"Huh?!" Hun swallows loudly. "Are we still alive, then?!"

"Technically…" She taps her right cheek, as her irises look above.

"Wh-what do you mean by technically?!" He opens his arms, while gritting his teeth and raising his eyebrows.

"Calm down, now!" Mirii moves her hands back and forth in front of Hun. "As I said earlier… as long as we are breathing and seeing each other, we are still on this planet!"

Hun looks over the girl: gradually, he smiles and lowering his eyebrows into neutral position.

"You are right!" He nods. "I… I'll not stop looking at you, then…"

Mirii blushes a lot.

"Wh-why?! Why you want to look at me?!"

"Because I'll live forever! … ehm…" He looks to his right for a moment, while scratching the back of his head. "… th-that's what you said, right?"

Mirii looks over the boy for a small bit… then, she smiles.

"… so, your name is Hun…" She took her right tentacle, stroking it with her right hand, as her eyes were looking on her left for a bit.

"Yes!" He bows down in a small movement. "And yours is… uhm… Hun said that your name was… was… … ah! Mirii! Is that your name?" He raises his right forefinger.

"Correct." She nods, while smiling even more. "You remember it perfectly."

The two Inklings kept looking at each other, for several seconds. Mirii steps once, over the mall.

"Let's go inside the mall and find out the cause of this event."

"Ok! How about those other two…?" He turns over the mall, as the head was pointed over Mirii.

Mirii gradually frowns a little.

"Hmpf." Her head turns ahead, while her eyes closed. "Forget those imbeciles… they will do nothing, but stand in our way and waste our time."

"Ah… I see…" His head turns ahead. "But why we have to go there? It doesn't seem to have… ehm…"

"Mirii said that." She walks on the road.

Hun immediately walks on the road, standing on Mirii's left.

"She could deduct other details we couldn't even grasp in our sight… but I'm her younger self, thus I can still reach the perfect conclusion and solve this whole predicament." Her head turns over Hun.

"Ah… that sounds good!" He smiles.

The girl smiles too.

"I have a hunch that our cooperation will make this whole situation, look as easy as walking through the park."

"Ehm… alone?" He blushes a bit.

Mirii blushes a lot, while her eyes instantly expands.

"Wh-what?! Uhm … well… you can say that…" She sighs, while smiling.

The two kids look over the right automatic door: the sides were all in the middle. Mirii turns her head to the left, seeing the left side: the sides were open, as an Inkling woman was standing the middle while holding a black leash, tied to a brown seadog.

"Let's go on the left, Hunley." She points over the door.

"Hunley?" His right eyebrow rose.

"Ehm… my mature self keeps calling your mature self with such name. If my perfect self would say such name, there must be a valid reason... I hope you don't mind, if I'm copying myself."

"Well, my taller self doesn't say anything about that, so… it's fine, I guess!" He smiles. "Although, I still prefer being called by my original name…" He whispers, as he turns his head forward.

The two Inklings passed the Inkling woman from her right, as they were stepping the soft dark green carpet.


	12. Chapter 11 - Sugar

**Well, if you are liking the story so far, please let me know about it with a review!**

* * *

Mirii and Hun's steps were echoing throughout the mall: groups of people were either standing on two legs or one leg, as they were looking ahead or to another person. Mouths were open, others were forming a smile, eyes were closed… but none of them were inhaling air.

Hun's eyebrows gradually rose, after each step: his eyes were resting over an Inkling woman and an Inkling man as their mouth were widely open in a smile. Turning to his right, he sees a magenta skin-colored Inkling boy holding in his arms, an even smaller orange-colored Inkling girl.

Quickly turning on his left, a humanoid white Prawn with wrinkles under his closed eyes was holding a small box with the image of cookies having small chunks of chocolate on it. The box was standing above a glass platform, which was glowing red right on the middle, just behind a conveyer belt.

In front of the prawn, a sea girl creature with multiple thin, almost transparent tentacles hanged up in two ponytails going horizontally on her sides: she was widely smiling while her mouth was open. On her right elbow, a purple purse with a rhombus line of shining crystals. On her left ponytail, a red fish with closed eyes, a monocle on his right eye and a small black top hat on the head.

Hun was trembling, as his teeth were gritted.

"Mirii… I-I can't stand watch this!" Sweat was jumping out from his forehead, as his downturned mouth expands even more and he was taking a step backwards. "Let's go back!"

The boy turns around, only to see Mirii right in front of him, as she was folding her arms and frowning a little.

"Hunley, we are not going to turn back." She shakes her head slowly. "We must explore the mall and find an element or two, who leads us to the situation."

"Bu-but!" Hun keeps looking around, as his arms were open. "E-everyone is still… n-none of them is talking or walking! Are we seeing living people or…"

"Hunley!" Her hands fell on his shoulders, as her eyes got closer to his. "Don't let those foolish reasons force you to run away from the truth! We must proceed, without thinking theories led by the imagination!"

The boy was breathing loudly, as his eyebrows are rose.

"How can you be so calm…? Everything is so silent… I-I don't wanna be alone!" He tries to move, as his eyes were closed.

"Hunley! Stop!" Mirii was holding his shoulder, as her teeth are gritted. "You are not alone! In fact, you are with me!"

The girl blushes a bit.

"And since you are with me, the lonely effect should not be present in your head… so, stop jumping from the fear and focus on the situation!" She closes her eyes, as her mouth expands a lot on each word.

Hun stares at the girl for a while.

"Promise that you'll never leave me alone…" His mouth downturns a little.

Mirii blushes a bit more. She nods, while smiling.

"Promise."

The boy smiles too. Mirii walks on his right, as she looks over the decorated tree.

"Follow me, now… and don't look too much over the people, understand?" Her head turns to the left, as her left iris was seeing Hun.

"I-I'll try!" He bends a little, as his irises bounce left and right, while trembling. "But how can you be this calm?"

"You should not try to achieve my level of perfection." She slightly rose her head. "It requires time and practice… and we can't do that in such time-YIKES!"

Mirii jumped, as her left arm was stretched. Her eyes quickly points over her left wrist: a small chunk of a white substance was resting on it.

"Th-that's snow, right?!" His right forefinger points over it.

"Of course it's! I've seen it for more than 10 years, each winter!" Her eyes were a bit wide.

Her nose caught a smell: the girl's mouth was left semi-open. She moves her nose closer to the standing chunk of white material and took two silent sniffs. She images a white cotton-candy on a light-wooden stick. Her head slowly retreats backwards.

"… this is not snow." Her left eyebrow rose.

"No?" He moves closer to the girl.

His head moves over her left wrist, as his nose sniffs loudly 2 times.

"Sugar?" He raises his head, pointed over the girl.

"How?" She looks over the ceiling. "How did it reach me? I can't imagine any other way than above our heads."

Gradually, other chunks of white elements were slowly falling down. Those were landing on everyone's heads, presents, cash registers… Mirii rubs the top of her head once, as the small white pieces fell towards the sugar-filled floor.

"Wh-what's the meaning of this?!" She frowns a bit. "First everyone is not moving… and now, sugar is falling from the ceiling!"

"Ehm…" He sticks out his tongue, as some white pieces of sugar fell on it.

He quickly retreats the tongue, with the elements inside his mouth. He smiles, while closing his eyes.

"Hmm! It's good!" He sticks out his tongue again.

"What are you doing?! Those could be poisonous for our body!" Mirii frowns a lot, as she holds her hips.

"Ah… ehm… you are right." He retreats his tongue, as he smiles while showing his teeth.

Mirii sighs loudly, as she turns behind and over the tree.

"Let's not even see this optical illusion and move on."

Her right shoe steps over a pile of sugar. She looks down, quickly.

"Huh?! How did the sugar accumulate this much already?!" Her eyes expand a little.

"Ehm… is that a problem?" A sweat drop appears on his head's right side as his eyes were closed. "If the sugar drowns us, we just need to eat it and we are out."

Mirii turns around, frowning even more.

"I'm not going to eat all that sugar! Not only it'll make me too round, but my teeth are going to be extremely damaged!" Her right forefinger stood upwards.

"Ah... really? I thought that sugar was generally good!" He chuckles a bit, as he scratches the back of his head.

Mirii downturns even more her closed mouth. Hun looks up a bit.

"So, what are we going to do now?" His open left palm caught a great amount of sugar.

"Increase our pace." Mirii walks ahead.

Hun throws the sugar behind him, as he runs after the girl. Mirii took a look on her left and on her right, after each second.

"Curses! I can't see anything well enough, if I'm moving this fast!" She frowns a bit.

"Then, slow down?" His voice was a bit low.

"I can't slow down, Hunley!" Mirii turns behind him. "I don't want to find myself under a pile of sugar! It could even not be sugar to begin with!"

"It sure smells like it…" He rubs his chin, as his irises were pointing up-right.

"Hmpf." She turns ahead. "Let's take a look around those large presents"

Suddenly, a strong wind pushed the two Inklings on their lefts: they both fall on their left sides, over a large sugar-filled mantle. Mirii quickly stands up, as she rubs her dress with both her hands. The sugar was covering her knees. She let out a small gasp.

"I-I changed my mind! I don't want to see those sugars, for the rest of my life!"

Mirii moves the sugar with her legs, as she was proceeding forward.

"Hunley! Come with me!"

The loud wind pushed the girl again, as she falls on the sugar, disappearing under it. Her head sticks out, as she quickly spats multiple times.

"Hunley!" She turns behind. "Are you alright?!"

Her eyes could see the shops, covered in a whitish color. Even the shopping carts on the left were assuming such color… the girl kept looking around, as everything was disappearing under the white smoke. Her hands were touching the sugar. The girl moves ahead, over the tree.

"Hunley, where are you?!" Her eyebrows are rose, her mouth was downturned.

Her elbows were now covered in from the sugar. The wind was taking her words away. She couldn't even see the presents around the tree. Her arms were swinging over the sugar, as her legs kept moving forward. Minutes passed and the snow passed her shoulders.

Her hands fell on her mouth's sides, sideways.

"Huuuunnlleeeeey!"

Her voice was echoed in front of nothing but white smoke. The sugar touched her chin: her mouth was trembling, as her irises were glued on the sugar.

"No… I-I don't want to eat it…" She shakes her head. "I-I don't want to become rounder…"

The girl closes her eyes.

" _Hunley… if you are around here, somewhere… please, help me!_ "

"Miriiiiiii…!"

The girl opens her eyes. Her head was turning left and right, still seeing white smoke. The girl was shivering a bit, as her hands couldn't move forward inside the sugar.

" _Wait…_ "

Her nose sniffs over the sugar.

" _This smell… it feels like water…_ "

The girl gradually smiles. Both her hands stood on each side, holding over the snow: Mirii emerges more and more, until her feet could rest on the snowy ground. She kept patting her dress, as chunks of snow slides off of it.

The girl looks around: on her right, a tree was vaguely seen from behind the smoke.

" _That's the decorated tree… where I was going before?! I didn't bump into anyone, aside from the sugar._ "

"Miriiiii…!"

Hun's voice kept ringing in Mirii's ears.

" _His voice is not too far from here…_ " She smiles.

The girl walks over the tree, as gradually it becomes clearer in front of her eyes. On the tree, there was nothing but pile of snow around. Mirii left her mouth open.

" _Wasn't this tree decorated with presents and other Squidsmas elements?_ " The girl closes her mouth. " _Unless_ "

"Mirii!"

The girl jumped, as she turns behind: Hun had his eyebrows rose and his mouth downturned. Her left hand rests over her heart, while Mirii sighs in a smile.

"Hunley! You don't have any idea how much relief I got, once I recognized your face!"

The boy smiles briefly.

"I hope I didn't scare you…"

"No." She shakes her head. "I don't know what fear is."

"Ehm… fear is like that feeling when you don't want to stay near something."

The girl giggles, as her left hand stands in front of her mouth.

"No, no! I meant to say that I don't have fear." Her smile reached her cheeks.

"Ah, I see!" He smiles, while nodding multiple times. "I thought to drown down inside all that sugar…"

Mirii trembles a bit.

"Th-there is no more sugar, Hunley! So… let's think about something else!" She turns over the tree. "I want to point out that this tree is not decorated."

"Why?" He looks upwards, over the pile of snow on the tree.

"Because the tree inside the mall has decorations. Where this tree is coming from?" She looks down, as her right forefinger taps her right cheek.

"Ehm… can I try answering that?" His right forefinger rose, as he bends down a little.

"Sure." Mirii nods, as she turns over him. "Do you have any observations?"

"Well… I think you should take a look around more." He stands still.

"How? The fog is blocking my"

Her eyes noticed another tree, on Hun's left side and another one on its left. The girl closes her mouth, as her mouth took a look around: multiple trees were gradually appearing from behind the white smoke. Her eyes expand.

"Wh-what?! Th-there are more than one tree?!" Her jaw dropped.

"So, this means… we are in a forest, right?" He looks up, as he scratches the top of his head with his right hand.

"No, Hunley! We are inside the mall!" Mirii frowns a bit… then she retreats such expression. "Except, there are now many trees…"

"Ehm… should we explore this place, Mirii?" His eyebrows rose, as the boy grabs his own arms and shivers, while gritting his teeth. "You know… I-I really want to stay near a fire…"

The girl grabs her own arms and shivers too, as her mouth downturns.

"I-I should have told my future self to gave me a large jacket…"

Mirii walks over the group of trees, while holding her arms. Hun walks on her left, holding his arms. Puffs of smoke was coming from their mouths.

"Mirii… you aren't seriously suggesting that"

"Hunley, if we stop looking for chunks of woods to burn… our body's temperature will drop so much, that we'll not be able to stand up anymore." The girl was frowning, as she grasps her arms even tighter.

"But, what if we keep moving around… and the cold is really pressuring in our veins?!" His eyebrows are rose, as the boy keeps shivering.

The two Inklings kept walking on the snow, slowly.

"Listen, Hunley…" She coughs loudly. "For now, we can safely walk for a while. Once our legs are too heavy to move… we are going to find the wood and set up the fire. What do you say? Can you fight the cold for at least one hour?"

The sounds of their steps were echoing throughout the snowy ground. Hun nods.

"Yes. I just hope you know somehow this place, because this is my first time I'm seeing such place."

Mirii sighs loudly.

 _Only my mature self knows it._


	13. Chapter 12 - Seabear

**If you are liking the story so far, don't be afraid to write down a review about it!**

* * *

The sky was light-blue, with pieces of cloud slowly flying by over the right. Hun was holding his arms, while shivering, as his teeth were chattering. In front of him, Mirii: her hands were over her mouth, as she was breathing loudly. Her shoulders were rose.

Their steps were leaving small footprints, all around trees and bushes as the snow was covering the tops. Mirii let out a loud sigh, as her head turns on the right and her right iris catches Hun's left side of his head. She rose her eyebrows.

"Hunley, how are you feeling?"

The boy chatters loudly, while patting both his arms.

"I-I'd never imagine how cold th-the temperature would get!" He grits his teeth, as his eyebrows rose. "I-I want to stay near a lit up chimney…"

Mirii's heart was slowly falling. She kept seeing his eyes: those were getting as blue as the night. She bites her lips, as a strong sense of remorse was chocking her throat. She shook her head, trying to compose the best posture she ever attempted.

"We must proceed, Hunley." She nods, mustering all the seriousness she could get on her face. "Don't think about that chimney or else the whole situation will get worse…"

Hun shakes his head while closing his eyes, as haunting theories were going around his head.

"I-I don't want to become immobile like the others we have seen!" His eyes were heavy, his mouth was frozen, his tentacles were getting whiter. "I-I don't even know where we are…"

Questions were getting in every angle and sector of Mirii's head. Her eyes kept turning left and right, seeing bushes, small rocks, trees, thin branches and snow… lots of snow. She could form thousands of snowsquids using this snow… or even an entire castle complete with furniture, windows and even a bed as large as the map of the entire universe.

Yet, the time was low and the stomach was grumbling a bit: that snow let the girl see an image of a tower made by white cotton-candy.

"Let's keep moving!" She frowns, as her anger was right under her throat. "This ridiculous, omnipresent, arrogant snow is not going to put our feet on a stop."

Her teeth were gritted, as she felt sliding them over a chalkboard. Her right foot threw itself over a dwarf hill of snow, leaving only a puffy snowy dust. Hun jumped, as a sense of adrenaline overwhelm his body: before his mind could see, he was already in front of Mirii's face which smoke was coming out from her ears.

"Wh-what's happening?!" His hands were almost over her shoulders.

Her sight caught each one of them, as a snort and a push moved them on her right.

"This place is making my soul boil!" She shook her fists, as her body was showing vivid colors and a warmth temperature. "THAT'S WHAT IS HAPPENING! WE ARE WALKING FOR ONE HOUR AND WE ARE SEEING NOTHING BUT SNOW! I WOULD RATHER DIVE INTO AN ACTIVE VOLCANO, THAN STAYING ONE MORE MINUTE IN THIS WASTELAND OF AN EXISTANCE!"

Her breathes were loud and long. Hun was way ahead with his arms covering his face. Instantly, the voice of her mature self was ringing in her memories, along with the loud slap who drew her cheek with the red image of a hand. Her eyebrows immediately rose, as multiple wrinkles appeared on her forehead.

"Ooooh, Hunley…" She walks, as her hands cover her mouth and her body temperature lowers down drastically. "Forgive my lack of self-control…"

The boy jerkily lowers his arms, as his eyes were bluer, his pants a bit down and a transparent liquid right under his nose. He sniffs loudly, as he rubs under it with his right forefinger.

"I-I'm sorry for what I did to you." His eyebrows were high, while his teeth were chattering inside his mouth.

"You didn't do anything to me!" Mirii frowns, as the heart jumps over her throat for a moment. "I was unable to hold myself into mindless rambling over this meaningless snow!"

Her right foot stomps the snow underneath.

"I-I can't stop my limbs… I-I just want to suddenly see the light of the day and find myself on my bed!" Her eyes felt watery, her mouth was spitting an invisible weight.

Hun lowers his head, his eyes were seeing every single small shape formed by the snow.

"I want to hug Fara again…" His voice whispered.

The wind was passing by, who knows where… it felt loud enough though. Mirii sighed, as she closes her eyes and feels two large hands rotating their fingers clockwise on her head's sides.

"Hunley, would you like to walk a bit more and then sit down, taking a breath?" She smiles, as her right hand grasps her left elbow, feeling her heart less stretched.

The boy slowly raises his head, as his eyes were seeing Mirii but his head felt frozen, unable to jump anywhere near it.

"Hunley?" Her hands rest on top of each other, in front of her legs, as her mouth holds the little amount of air inside.

"Huh…?" He hears his forehead, but not so much his brain. Cold air was passing in and out of his mouth.

Mirii's stomach tightens, her eyes expand. She steps closer Hun, feeling too light to leave any footprints on that dreadful snow.

"Hunley, are you alright?"

Her voice caresses the boy's left cheek, suddenly feeling warmer and brighter. His smile stops midway, as the energy wasn't coming, neither the will.

"I don't know…" He shakes his head, his feet were hurting, his throat felt congested. "If we walk in this direction, we are going to see more trees or bushes… and the coldest snow I could ever imagine."

Mirii's right fang touches her lips' right side, as her irises bounce left and right for a moment. Not the possibility of finding a smart being or even an abandoned wooden house in the middle of the forest, let her heart slowing down.

"Wh-what nonsense!" Her mouth couldn't close, her eyebrows couldn't rise and her right cheek kept twitching. "We woke up in the Inkopolis of the future, met our grown-up selves and even appeared somewhere else. Who could possibly deny the fact that all the sudden we would be around palm trees, a grassy field and tons of fruit for us to eat?!"

"Without freezing like we are doing here." His smile grew a bit, his posture increases, he's not trembling and feeling the cold stinging all over his arms.

"That too." Mirii nodded, hearing a warming sensation coming from her stomach. "Maybe after taking few steps over there, we might encounter a tall house with the lights coming from the windows and fire in the chimney."

The boy turns behind, puffing his chest and feeling the adrenaline flowing through his veins.

"What are we waiting for? Let's get there!" His right foot moves ahead.

Mirii smiles, while leaving out a warming sigh in a silent blow. Her hands kept patting her arms, while bending forward a bit. She kept seeing a blazing sun looming over her head and feeling her feet touching the vivid green grass, gently sliding all over them.

 _Thump!_

Her breath came out in a gasp, her eyes almost out, her back felt like being passed by a steamroller. The burning sensation all over her body was stinging, but at the same time energy was flowing over her stomach. A pale hand came in front of her eyes, as a small breeze came near her face.

"Are you fine?!" His hand was trembling a bit.

A groan came out of her teeth, as her right hand goes on his, grabbing it. She slowly stands up, while shaking a bit: immediately, her hands were stroking her tentacles, throwing the snow down to the ground.

"Let's forget about this little incident…" She slightly rose her head, while lowering her eyelids a bit. The mouth downturned, her nose moved left and right. "After all, I'm standing up."

"Are you sure? I heard"

"Of course I'm sure!" Her right hand waved, her eyes closed a bit. "Now, turn around and"

A loud snort noise echoed throughout the forest. Both the Inklings felt like an ice cube sliding down on their backs. All their limbs were stretched down, their irises were shrunk, their mouth sealed with dusty ice resting on them.

Footsteps were now in the air, making their little hearts beat even faster. The sound was increasing in volume… other smaller snorts passed near their ears. Jerkily, Hun turned behind as something large and round was just moving around the trees. A brown fur appeared in sight, with a small long nose, even smaller black eyes and ears, flat paws and tail…

Mirii swallowed loudly, as the beast was getting slowly closer and showing the sharp fangs.

"Hunley…" A single sweat slid from her head's right side. Her foot gently slides backwards. "Move… carefully… behind…" Her voice came lowly.

The boy's arms were semi-open, his fingers were twitching. He gradually turns, seeing the girl's large irises. A growl lasting for two second pushed his back, as the heart almost stopped.

"NOT LIKE THAT!" The girl frowns, turns and sprints ahead with her hands sideways.

Hun runs behind, while clenching his fists and moving his back a bit behind. The creature kept pushing the legs over the two.

"SEABEARS DON'T ATTACK PEOPLE WHO LOOK RIGHT IN THEIR EYES!" Her head turns to her right, seeing Hun approaching.

"I-I'M SORRY! I DIDN'T KNOW!" He grits his teeth, his eyes were getting watery.

The girl jumped over a rock, while Hun just passed from its right. The seabear kicked the rock, as it bounced over the right.

"THERE IS NOTHING WHO CAN CALM THIS BEAST, NOW!" She was breathing faster.

Hun turns his head sideways: the animal growled, as saliva flowed through the fangs. The boy yells, as he immediately turns his head on the front and moved his feet even faster.

"I-I WANNA SEE MY SISTER GROW!" He squeezed his eyes.

Mirii looks left and right: a white rabbit jumped and jumped over a group of trees.

"THIS WAY!" Mirii turns over the left, while frowning a little.

Hun opens his eyes, then turns his head over Mirii, as he moves right behind her legs. The seabear slides a bit, while the paws' claws grasping the snow: in a second, the beast gradually moves faster over the two Inklings, snorting.

Mirii jumped left and right, over trees: Hun just turns his body, sliding slightly over a direction. He sees dust from the girl's feet.

"MIRII! WAIT!" He waves his right hand.

The girl immediately turns her back, while leaving her mouth open.

 _THUMP!_

She fell on her right hip, as a cry left her mouth. She curled, as her left hand took her right arm. Her eyes were squeezing, her frown was stretched down, her teeth were gritted. Hun stood his right foot ahead, as he was sliding over Mirii while decreasing the speed.

"OH NO! WHAT I HAVE DONE?!" He bends down a little, leaving his mouth open and his eyebrows rose.

Another growl penetrate in his ears, as the boy rose his shoulders and closed his eyes. He turns behind, seeing the seabear moving left and right over the trees. He returns over the girl: she was groaning, whispering incomprehensive words, slowly kicking her legs.

The boy let out a short, loud sigh: he bends down, as his arms grasped the girl. He cried out, as he slowly lifts Mirii over his belly. The seabear's eyes were right over the two, as the head lowers and the fangs gritted.

The boy rose his right leg: his back gradually falls behind, landing over the snow.

 _THONK!_

The girl opens wide her eyes: the seabear was standing in midair, with the head touching the dark brown wood. The creatures slowly slides down, touching the ground: the long, saliva-filled tongue sticks out from above the fangs, as the irises were turning clockwise. A bump appeared between the ears, as two pine cones fell on the left.

The girl's jaw dropped.

"Hunley…" She turns over his face.

His eyes were expanded, his mouth sealed, his arms frozen.

"… let's get out of here." Mirii quickly stands up, moving ahead.

Her left hand grabbed her right arm, as her eyes were semi-squeezed, her teeth gritted. Her ears caught other steps from her right. In front of the two Inklings, a faintly blue-green bird with a crest on the head and three flat, large feathers: the head was tilting left and right, while hopping around a tree.

The small head immediately turns over the young Inklings, as the wings instantly open and waves up and down: Mirii kept running, passing right down the creature.


	14. Chapter 13 - Lake

**If you are liking the story this far, please write down a review.**

* * *

A flake of snow gently swings left and right, falling slowly in the air... landing on the tip of Mirii's nose. Her irises pointed at it, as she frowns a bit and her nose moved its tip left and right: the flake resume the fall, this time over the ground.

The girl rose her head: the sky was getting an orange tone, as multiple large greyish clouds were stretching all over it. Her mouth downturned, as her head points now over Hun which a chattering sound was heard from his position. His hands were sliding over his arms.

Mirii increased her pace, reaching his left: once her eyes were on his, her eyebrows rose.

"Hunley…"

His head turns over the girl, with his eyes getting bluer, his mouth sealed and the whole head shaking a bit. The girl let her mouth open for a bit… then she smiled.

"Thank you for what you did to me." She nods, as her smile grew.

"Ah… ehm… you are welcome, I guess." He turns his head forward, as it lowers down a bit.

Her smile turned into an open mouth.

"Wh-what's wrong?" Her head tilts to her left.

The boy sealed his mouth even more… then let out a silent sigh.

"I lost my balance, before… that animal would have gotten us, if the head didn't hit that tree." He turns his head over the girl, as his eyebrows rose and wrinkles appeared on his forehead. "If anything, I should apologize for putting both us in that dangerous situation."

Her eyes were on his: she frowns a bit.

"So, you claim that if it wasn't for the tree, we would have been on the seabear's teeth. Am I correct?"

"Yes, Mirii." He nods. "After all, we all saw that animal crashing over it with the head."

"True… however" She slightly rose her head. "It's also true that I also crashed over the tree, exactly on my right arm."

"Huh?!" Hun expands his eyes a bit, his mouth wide open as his teeth were showing a bit. "I… how did I forget that?!"

Mirii smiles, keeping her posture high as her shoulders were down.

"If the tree wasn't there, I'd still kept running ahead as the animal would slide all over the snow, trying to get around the trees." She nods once. "I must say, your idea of grabbing me and taking me away was… well…"

She lowers her head, as her cheeks felt warmer and brighter: her smile grew an inch more, throwing the cheeks upwards. Her right hand rests sideways in front of her smile, while bending.

"… courageous." Her voice was very low.

"Huh?" Hun shuts his eyes almost all the way down, as he shook his head and his eyebrows fell a bit. "What did you said?"

"Ehm…" Her irises bounced left and right, the tip of her nose wiggled, her mouth caught the fresh breeze. "Brave!" Her mouth trembled, her fists rose and touched each other in front of her lips, as her eyes were sparkling a bit. "Br-brave I said…"

Her irises fell on two mushrooms: one had a flat red base with white spots on it and the other one had a green base with white spots, as the tip was below the red mushroom's base. A round chunk of snow was covering their tops.

"Mirii?"

The girl jumped an inch, with her eyes already on Hun. Her heart was skipping some beats, her throat retreats down, her mind was bouncing.

"Yes…?" She trembles, while showing her white teeth and fangs.

"Is the cold climate impacting over your skin or something?" His mouth downturned, closed with faint traces of ice in dust.

"Wh-what a silly question!" She giggles, while her left foot flattens small tufts of grass. "Whenever I take a cold shower, I never increased my pace in order to pick my towel."

"Really?" A faint whistle came out from his mouth. "I always hang it right near the bathtub!"

Both the Inklings laughed, as their sound echoes throughout the trees, bushes and snow.

"I may tremble every now and then, at the first cold breeze… but now my body already get used to the snow and the general temperature you are going to see in this wasteland of snow." Her posture stood up, her head rose just an inch, her smile got over her cheeks.

The boy smiled, as he turns his head forward: his eyes expanded, his mouth opened as his glove-like forefinger rose from below.

"Look! I see houses in the distance!"

Mirii immediately turns her head. A flat plain of snow extending for at least 1 mile with brown pointy, large fences with even darker vertical lines turning left or right and occasional circles. At the end of the plain, 3 houses positioned diagonally, each with a hipped roof and a chimney cap made with red bricks: smoke was coming from it.

From the windows, a bright light was coming out. Two round hills were respectively on the left and on the right, as the left one was in front of the nearest house: only the thick green front door over two short, stone stair steps and a window was on the two Inklings' sight.

Mirii gradually opens her mouth, forming a smile, sparkling her eyes and clasping her own hands upwards.

"Finally! A hint of smart beings living in this frozen world!" Her words were almost sounding like notes, composing a sweet melody.

"I-I can't wait to stand right in front of a large lit chimney!" Hun smiles, as he rubs his hands rapidly, still trembling at the first stay of the cold air on his skin.

Mirii's eyes closed, as her smile got brighter and her head turns over Hun.

"We are almost there, Hunley." She nods once, as her nose inhales a bit of air. "Then, all that snow we kept seeing during our walk… all inside our memories, forever."

"Ehm, aren't we going to still see that…?" His right eyebrow rose, as his mouth downturns a little and his nose exhaled air.

"Yes, but we'll not be around any trees or just snow!" Mirii steps forward. "We are going to sit in front of a chimney, while holding a large cup of hot choco"

 _Cccrrrrr…_

The girl stands on her left leg, with her right leg stretched backwards. Her eyes were wide, her limbs were still, her ears were rose almost reaching the top of her head.

"Argh!" Hun's hands fell on his head, his eyes were almost thrown off, his teeth touching the tips of the others. "Mirii! Speak to me!"

Her right leg safely lands over the puffy snow and the other one landed right near it. Her eyes were glued over the snow in front of her feet, as a loud breeze moved her tentacles over the left, making the girl trembled one second.

"Hunley… maybe we should find another route, around this particular area." Her head turns over him, as her eyebrows skyrocket on her forehead.

The wind kept pushing her tentacles over her left. The boy looks left and right: taller walls of snow were surrounding the square-shaped snow field. The fence was extending horizontally, until they touched one of the snow walls. On the top of those taller hills, one or two trees: on the left one, there was a round rock of seemingly large dimensions.

"A route where?" He opens his arms, as the tips of his fingers caught one and more flakes of snow. "All I'm seeing is nothing but snow!"

The girl moved her mouth over her right, while downing her eyebrows. Her head was twisting around, as her hands grasped her arms.

"Curses!" She stomps the snow, while lowering her head. "That snow looks like 3, 4 feet taller! Proceeding there, could mean us sliding all the way down…"

"Besides the animals or other hazard we are going to encounter!" The boy rubs his chin, as he immediately retreats his head while his teeth chattered one moment. His eyes were on his hand, which the palm was a bit bluish.

"However…" Mirii slightly turns over the squared field. "I heard a sound, as I took a step right there… it reminded me of broken glass."

Hun swallowed loudly, as he walks a bit around, patting his own arms. His eyes closed, as some snowflakes were gliding over them.

"I-I don't wanna walk back between those trees… we may find that seabear again!" He opens his arms, moving them up and down. "What can we do, Mirii?! My head is frozen!"

Her forefinger lands over her right cheek, tapping it quickly, more than one time. Her eyes were seeing the snow, as her feet were right under. She lifted her right one, with a chunk of snow on it: as she shakes the foot, the snow fell down.

She walks ahead, stopping right in between the two fences. Bending down on her knees, she took chunks of snow with her hands and tossed them on her right. At each grab, her mouth waved. Suddenly, she saw something light-blue in a rounded spot. Her forefinger bends a bit.

 _Toc toc._

Her hands fell on her knees.

"As I suspected…" Mirii stood up. "Under this carpet of snow, there was water." She nods, while folding her arms.

"Water…?" Hun scratched the top of his head, as his right foot kicked a bit of the snow and a bit of the air.

"Now there is a field of ice. Judging from that noise I heard one minute ago, if our foot touch the ice… we'd fall right into the cold water." Mirii lowers her head, while closing her eyes and coughing once. "All this snow must have overall a massive weight, in order to slim down the ice."

"I think I could lift a bunch of it." Hun's forefinger scratches his right cheek, while his eyebrows were a bit near his eyes.

"If we try to take the snow out, the ice would still be too weak to support our own weight." Mirii turns over Hun, as her right hand rests on her right hip. Her left hand shook her left tentacle, as a line of snow was on it. "There has to be another route which would take us over those house… or a tool to get past this frozen lake."

Hun sighs, as a small puff of smoke came from his mouth.

"Is there a way to lose some fat? If we could, none of our steps would break the ice." He inhales his nose upwards, as a transparent liquid was under it.

"What?! We don't have any fat!" Mirii frowns a lot, as her arms open and her eyes glowed in a small, bright light. "And even if we had a rounded stomach, you would need days of jogging in order to remove the excess!"

"Argh! S-sorry!" He bows down multiple times, as sweat was jumping from his forehead.

"Why are you saying sorry, now?" Mirii grabbed her left elbow, as her nose wiggled. "Knowing where have you been for the previous hours, I'd not even lift an eyebrow about such answer. After all, the situation is"

"We could turn into Squids!" He rose his forefinger, as his smile reached his cheeks and his left hand clenched into a fist. "What do you think, Mirii? As Squids, we could hop all the way throughout the snow, without breaking the ice!"

"But we are less than 14 years old, Hunley." Mirii shook her head slowly, while closing her eyes and throwing off some snow resting on her forehead. "Inklings can only be Squids for a certain amount of time… not to mention, we would burn out our energies and be unable to survive in this frozen land. Let alone taking a step!"

"However, what other chances do we have around?" He bends forward, stepping closer to the girl, as his voice increased. "If we walk around this forest, we could forget the way we used to get here. Mirii, we must pass this lake! Please…"

His eyes were getting bluer.

"I-I don't even know how long that fire will last, since… well…" His head rose, as his eyes could capture other flakes of snow falling gently from clouds. "… we have an entire army of snow to deal with, for the night."

Mirii rose her eyebrows, while leaving her mouth open. She sealed it, as her limbs were moving a bit down. Her throat felt puffed, like fire was inside. She coughed once, twice. Her heart skipped a beat, as the girl swallowed with her mouth shut.

"Alright, Hunley." She nodded. "I preferred to construct an igloo, while hunting around for food and lit up a nice fire inside… but with this weather, the time and the chances are too low to let us take such option."

He smiled.

"I'm sure we can get to the other side of the lake, before our energy runs out!" He puffs his own chest, while inhaling with his nose.

Mirii smiled too, as she took her right tentacle and pushed the snow out.

"Then, let's turn into Squids and hop near those fences." She turns over the area. "Once we are near enough, I'll count to 0 and then we are going to hop together, reaching the other side of this lake. Everything clear?"

"Yes!" He turns over the area, as he shivered in just a second.

The two Inklings shrunk will changing their appearance into normal-looking Squids with large eyes and irises. They jumped a bit on the snow, as their backs were already covered by it. Hun jumped higher, landing past the fences.

 _CRACK!_ _SPLASH!_

"NOOOO!" Mirii grows into her normal self, as she dives on the snow and her eyes right on the water. "HUNLEY!"

Bubbles were emerging, exploding once they hit the air. A black shadow was lurking down… the girl rose her right eyebrow.

"Hunley…?"

The black shadow grows more and more.

 _SPLASH!_

The girl covered her face with her arms, as drops of water fell on them.

"Mirii! Mirii! Look at me!"

Her ears rose. Mirii slowly lowers her arms: Hun was floating on the water, in his humanoid form.


	15. Chapter 14 - Water

**Well, if you are liking this story so far... please, send in a review about it!**

* * *

The boy's face was drenching in water, as his tongue slides all over his mouth. His hand waved, his smile grew wider. Mirii blinked, almost stumbling: her sight was blurry, her mind felt the field spinning a little over the right…

"I could sleep on this water!" Hun moved his arm backwards, more than one time. "Dive in, Mirii! Your smile will never leave your face!"

Her right heel rose. Her head kept shaking left and right.

"Th-this must be a dream…" Her irises were as large as dots. "Inklings dissolve in water… especially under a carpet of ice!"

"I'm not even trembling! See?" He spins around.

Her eyes were on his smile, as her heart beat a bit faster. She shook her head, groaned and closed her eyes.

"You were shivering when you were standing on the snow… why that water is not causing the same effect, despite being below a frozen layer?" She opens her eyes, frowning a bit and raising her head while her irises were still on his smile.

The boy shrugs, as his mouth downturned an inch.

"If we knew where all that sugar came from, we would also know why this water is not dissolving me!" His hands kept sliding on his head, as more water fell on his face.

"Where are your evidences, which connect this event with the previous one?" Her nose inhales loudly, as her fists clenched. "Now get out of that water, Hunley. The water could still freeze your veins."

"Hmm…" The boy looks up, as his mouth sealed flat. His eyes rest over hers. "Whenever I look into the water, there was always this blurry image of a land with weird, tall plants. Now that I'm standing on the water, I can get near this land and see with my own eyes, what this world offers."

Mirii's eyes grew out of her eyelids.

"No, Hunley! That desire"

 _Pu-splush._

"HUUUNNLEY!" Her hands fell on the snow, as her head looms over the round spot of water. "HUNLEY, GET OUT OF THERE!"

Bubbles were emerging for some seconds… before disappearing. Her tentacles dipped into the water: it felt like a soft hand caressing the tips. Her eyelids fell till the middle of her eyes, her mouth rose a bit.

"Hmmmm…!"

Mentally, she sees herself with her shoulders immersed into the water while leaning over a stone wall with her back. Her smile pushed her cheeks upwards, her body was absorbing all the water like air, releasing it at the same time…

… she was on the water.

"Huh?!" Her head turns left and right, while her eyes were as large as balloons. "What happened to me?! How did I let myself stay here?!"

Her mouth was open... then, it closed again while raising a little. Her eyelids reached the middle, as her body sunk more over the water.

"This water is… is not the normal one." Her nose touched the surface, as bubble came around it.

Her head goes down, as now her eyes were staring over seaweeds, small rocks resting over a sandy ground, other plants which were glowing in light-green.

" _That plant…_ " Her eyes blinked two times, while words were forming inside her mind. " _Whenever I'm in my own room, I'd often sit right in front of my laptop, tapping the buttons into the search box and find all kinds of information spread throughout the Inknet… but none of the results ever showed an image for this plant._ "

Mirii swings her arms and legs, swimming closer to the plant. The plant gradually assumed a yellow color.

" _Fascinating._ " She smiles. " _If I had a bowl and an oval glass, I'd dig that terrain and take the plant in surface._ "

Her eyes expand a bit.

" _Wait, what am I saying?! Inklings can't even last for a second inside the water! Come to think of it…_ " Her head turns around.

She opens her mouth, as bubbles came out from it.

 _"_ _I-I can't hear my voice! How this phenomenon occurred?!_ " She swims past the plant. " _The other sea creatures claim that their mouths can produce sounds just fine, underwater… why I can't?!_ "

Her fingers were covered by a thick darkness… even her nose.

" _Not even a formula which will make me taller, would convince me to proceed._ "

Suddenly, a small light appeared in the darkness, flashing in less than a second.

" _What's that?_ " Her eyebrows rose. " _Is that another plant…?_ "

The light was growing. Mirii clenched her fists, while kicking lightly the water. Between the flashes, two eyes were seen in a short second.

" _Wait… could that be…?_ " Her arms stretched, her mouth is left open.

A small Squid stops in front of the girl, standing up: the eyes were on the girl, while the Squid was moving swimming up in small, quick movements, then descending slowly.

" _Hunley._ " She smiles. " _That plant captured my attention so well, I wasn't even noticing how I'm floating underwater._ "

The Squid turns around, swimming sideways into the obscurity. Mirii rose her right arm, while her mouth opens and other bubbles came out. The girl swam, while her limbs were moving fast: energy kept flowing throughout her body, as her heart was beating just as like it did before.

All the sudden, other flashing lights were appearing around. The girl stops.

" _Ah! Other lights?!_ " Her heard turns around, seeing other dozens of lights. " _Then, who was that Squid who got near me?!_ "

The lights kept flashing.

" _This water is making my mind jump into hasty decisions… which conclusive evidence let me see that Squid as Hunley?!_ "

The girl turns around.

" _Hunley might be around here… or even alone in the darkness… without the possibility to produce any sounds from his mouth._ "

Mirii's eyes were resting over a faintly glowing plant.

" _The colors of that plant would make any Inklings swim nearby. It'd not be a bad idea, if I can take it and bring it over my desk…_ " She swims over it. " _… not only I'd utilize less my lamp, but it'd also provide a little show of lights before I close my eyes._ "

She is standing in front of the plant: looking left and right, her eyes were seeing a black void. The girl rose her right fingers: she saw deep lines going around their bottoms. Her eyes expand, while her eyebrows pushed downwards and her mouth was thrown open.

" _What's happening to my fingers?! This…_ " She rapidly shook her head. " _Curses! If I don't get out of this water in time, my whole body is going to look just like them!_ "

Mirii looks around, while gritting her teeth.

" _Hunley! Hunley! Where are you?! Where… oh… oh no… OH NO!_ "

The girl swam past the plant.

" _HUNLEY! HUNLEY! PLEASE, TELL ME YOU ARE NEAR ANOTHER GLOWING PLANT! TELL ME YOU ARE STILL VISIBLE!_ "

Other flashing lights appeared: they were forming a circle-like shape.

" _That formation… you must think that in order to stand in such position!_ "

Mirii swam faster over the flashing lights, seeing now multiple pair of eyes. The Squids were tilting downwards, slowly illuminating the ground. The girl slapped her cheeks, opening her mouth and leaving out other bubbles.

Hun was standing on his back, while his arms were open and his eyes closed. His face, his hands... they had deep lines going throughout his limbs.

" _No… Hu-Hunley…_ " Her mouth trembled, her eyebrows touched her forehead, her eyes were getting watery.

The girl fell near him: bubbles were raising in front of her face.

" _Huh…?_ " Her irises kept staring over the bubbles, until they disappeared in the darkness.

Lowering her head, her eyes tracked other bubbles coming from his nose.

" _Wait… bubbles have oxygen inside… so, that means…_ "

A bright smile glowed her face for a moment.

" _He's breathing!_ " She claps her hands. " _But… he's standing down… I must bring him to the surface, before I'd be too on the ground!_ "

Her hands fell on his back, as they lift him up. Her cheeks were brighter.

" _Hold on tight, Hunley… I'm about to bring you over fresh air._ " She nods. " _All I have to do, is to swim back in that hole._ "

She rose her head: other flashing lights were forming a long line.

" _Those Squids… they must have seen Hunley, before me. Without their lights, I couldn't know where Hunley's position was. Are they trying to show me another path?_ "

Her eyelids were gradually lowering, her hands were getting down and her legs were kicking suddenly slower.

" _Uff… I feel my stamina is suddenly missing… oh no… puff, time is running out for me too… I... I have no choice…_ "

Mirii kicked the water while carrying Hun on her arms and moving over the flashing Squids: her eyes were seeing a blurry image of their eyes.

" _N-no… uff… I studied hard… pant… I listened to my brother… suffered many slaps from my mother… uuff, I settled down my life goal… I don't wanna go… pant… pant… I want to reach… ultimate perfection._ "

In front of her, a bright bluish light forming a circle.

" _I… I did it… the light… I-I can see it… th-the light…_ "

A sudden burst of light covered the entire area.

 _SPLASH!_

The girl felt the air, flowing under her stomach… then, the soft snow. Hun coughed up some water. Mirii stands on her own arms, trembling. Her hands fell on his chest, pushing it in short, decisive bursts. Hun coughed out other water. He slowly opens his eyes.

"… Mirii…"

His blurry eyes were seeing a smile over the girl, as she coughed up a bit of water.


	16. Chapter 15 - Mind

**Alright, this chapter is... a bit special. If things seem to get too crazy, don't worry: everything is explained in the same chapter.**

 **If you are liking the story, please write down a review.**

* * *

A hand moves sideways. Another hand picks it up: with his left hand on the snow, Hun stands up as Mirii's left hand grasps his right one, pulling him upwards with both hands' combined strength.

"Th-thank you, Mirii…" Hun bends down, as he coughs some more water. "I-I was looking around, when I saw those mysterious flashing lights…"

"Those were Squids, Hunley." She walks closer to him, as her fingers were pulling his shirt around.

The shirt was appearing flat, with just one or two small hills around the sleeves. Mirii steps backwards, once. She grabbed her left elbow while blushing, then her head turns behind over her right: her eyebrows were lowered a bit and her downturned mouth was slightly visible.

"Without their flashing lights, I wouldn't be able to see you in the darkness… and I wouldn't even be able to reach the nearest exit, since I was losing my energy and air as much as you were doing before." Her head turns ahead, now raising her eyebrows.

Hun leans over his knees, breathing loudly.

"I'm still a little tired…" He drenches his forehead, standing upwards.

He was stumbling a bit. Mirii's heart skipped some beats. Her right arm grabs his shoulders, pulling him closer to her right side.

"Yo-you are strong!" Her cheeks were even brighter. "I-I may brought you here earlier, but you could survive for another hour…"

"Uff… if you say so…" His smile was small.

"Come on, Hunley." Mirii steps forward, as her eyebrows were high and wrinkles were appearing on her forehead. "Th-throwing yourself down is not acceptable…"

The boy's steps were slowly sinking throughout the snow. Mirii turns her head, seeing a house with wooden tiles positioned vertically. The front door had a green color, which looked more brighter once the two Inklings touched their feet over a stone road.

Some of the tiles on the road were exposing upwards a bit too much: Mirii snorted, wiggling her nose. She gently pulled Hun over the left, as the boy's eyes were resting over the multitude of lights. Proceeding in their walk, the girl pushed and pulled the boy whenever there was a rose stone around… and the boy never lowered his sight.

Mirii sighed, as her eyes fell over his legs which were a bit trembling.

"Hunley…"

The boy turns his head over the girl.

"Yes?" He smiled.

"I know you aren't in a mental shape, now…" She lowers her head, for a moment. "… but please, think about why I'm pushing you around, while walking."

"Ah… you were…?" He stretched down, quickly raising.

"Hunley!" She frowns. "Stop acting like you don't have a brain! You still have plenty of energy, flowing throughout yourself!"

"I-I don't know, Mirii…" He turns around, slowly raising his right leg. "I want… to sleep…"

The girl quickly jumped in front of him, as the boy tilted backwards: his arms were rotating fast, his eyes were wide and his mouth was open. Mirii grabs his back with both her hands, pulling him ahead. Hun rests his feet on the road.

"Sorry, Mirii… I-I don't know why I'm doing this…" His hand rests on his forehead.

Mirii stretched her sealed mouth, as her eyes fell over a white rose stone.

" _His behavior… why in the world he's acting like a moron? NO!_ " Her eyes expanded. " _He's not a moron! After all, he stood too much in that weird water. However, I was underwater too and I could think and see around, perfectly. Hmm…_ "

The boy turned around, as his eyes were now over a line of lights coming from one rooftop to the other.

" _Is there something I'm missing?_ _ **Something that happened while I was exploring the lake**_ _? Uhm… that last question seems tickling my mind. I should get Hunley's attention._ " The girl smiles.

"Hunley."

Hun turns over Mirii, while his eyebrows are up.

"Yes?"

"Do you remember what you did exactly, underwater?" She taps her right cheek, while her left hand grabbed her right side and her head lowers down a bit.

"Huh…" His irises were over the blue sky. "Let's see… I was floating around… I saw those mysterious lights… and… and… …" His mouth downturned.

"I see." Mirii sighed, lowering down her hands. "How do you feel now?"

"I still want to sleep…" He let out a loud yawn, as his right hand was in front of it.

" _Uhm… you know what, Mirii? Hunley really needs some sleep, that's all. Wh-what other possibility would tell me otherwise? Like… like he has some kind of poison… an-and he's not noticing it… …_ "

Her eyes fell over the green front door.

" _That house seems friendly enough. I hope that the owners will be kind to give me and Hunley, a nice bed to use… A NICE BED?! WHY WE WOULD NEED A BED?! Curses! This water is really getting on my nerves… it seems that's making me think about the most random words!_ "

"Mirii…?"

Mirii quickly looks over Hun: he was stumbling, as his eyelids were lowered.

"Why you are doing those faces…?"

Her eyes widens.

"Ehm… n-nothing to even think about! Instead, we should really go over that door… so we can find a bed!"

Her cheeks blushed a lot, while her eyes expanded even more.

"Ah… nice." He yawns loudly. "I can't wait to dive there…"

Her eyes almost popped out. Her face was as red as pepper.

"Nnngggghhh!" She closes her eyes, while shaking her head.

" _Calm down, Mirii! Calm… down…_ " She took a loud, slow breath, as her face was assuming an orange color. " _I… I seriously need to check my patience levels. If I want to reach my perfect form already at such young age, I must stop those reactions… hmm… ah! I could just not think about them, for one second!_ " She smiles. " _Not letting those drenched, futile reactions having any room of improvement, will let my genius triumph over any mental obstacles it'll find!_ "

Her eyes were over Hun.

"So… where was the bed, again?" He scratched the back of his head.

Her face instantly got red, her heart beats fast, sweat was appearing over her forehead, her tentacles were grabbed and pulled downwards.

"Th-th-th-th…" She swallows. "This way…"

She jerkily walks past Hun, as her right foot's tip touched a rose stone: the girl stumbled forward.

"Whoa, Mirii…" He sighed, as he walked over the stone. "Watch out… you were almost falling over the ground…"

" _Gr-great…_ " She frowns a lot, while gritting her teeth and staring at the green door. " _So much for controlling myself… I couldn't even notice that stone!_ "

 _Thunk._

" _Argh! STOP THIS, MIRII! Concentrate… I-I'm been observed by Hunley… I-I can't let th-this ridiculous mental situation get the best of me, li-like this! Come on… I'm almost at the door… I-I just need to knock over it, that's all!_ "

 _Knock knock._

Mirii clasps her hands, as she turns over her right seeing Hun smiling.

" _Considering Hunley's status… I have to lead the talk and convince the owners to let us in. Maybe talking with someone will let me regain my posture and perfect control._ "

She smiles.

"Hunley, let me talk to whoever will open the door, ok?" She nods multiple times.

"Sure." He nods too.

A long, loud sound came from Mirii's left ear: she turns over its source, seeing a male Inkling with popped out eyes and wrinkles all over his face.

"Good evening, sir." The girl bows down, gently. Her right fingers fell on her chest. "I'm Mirii Hanache, one of the many residents of the famous city"

 _SLAM!_

Her mouth was opened just an inch: her eyes were seeing the green front door. The breeze caressed her tentacles. The girl gradually frowns all the way over her face, as smoke came out of her ears and veins were popping out from her forehead.

 _KNOCK KNOCK!_

She folds her arms, snorting loudly. The door opens, as the male Inkling just leans over his face and hands. The girl taps her left foot over a stone stair step.

"Sir… I'm requesting apologies. Now."

The old man's eyes were staring over hers.

"Well?!" Her hands fell on her hips. "Staying silent is only making you look worse! Why you slammed the door over my face?! I didn't do anything remarkably harmful!"

"Really…?" His voice was deep, but rusty. He lowers his eyelids. "You are shouting over a Squid who lived for many years… if I was your grandpa, I'd slap right on your behind."

"What?!" Her irises shrunk, while her eyes enlarged. "How dare you?! Elders should still bring respect to anyone they meet! Slamming the door to someone"

"Hold your tentacles, young lady." His head bends forward a bit. "Your clothes are drenching in water."

"So?!" She clenches her fists.

"You…" He turns over Hun. "And the other youngster near you…" He returns towards Mirii. "Did you took a bath over our lake?"

"We did." Mirii snorted, raising her head a little and folding her arms. "Is there a problem with that?"

"Well… there is a reason why we put a sign right in front of it…" He strokes his own beard.

"What sign? There were nothing but fences!" She opens her arms.

"Really…? Ah… aaaaahh, I see it now…" He slowly nods.

"Wh-what?" She slightly rose her eyebrows.

"… nice try… nice try…" The man retreats inside.

The door was going over the girl: she leans her hands over it.

"Why are you closing the door now?! Th-this is getting childish!" She grits her teeth, while frowning.

"No one ever touched that sign, since I was a little Squid… that lie showed your real intentions, young kid." His voice was coming from behind the door.

"That's ridiculous!" Her arms pushed more. "How can you state that I'm telling you a lie?! You don't have any proofs! Nothing but a single memory!"

"You only need that, once you reach such high age…"

The door closes, as the girl's arms fell down. Her mouth was wide open, her eyes felt spinning on themselves. Mirii inhales with her nose, loudly. She took Hun's left arm, as she walks away from the house.

 _To think I even acted perfectly in front of him… no one should deserve such fate! And he dared to scold me, hiding behind the excuse of being older than me! If he wanted to show me some maturity, he had to keep that door open and listen to all my speech!_

 _Not only he closed that door, but he also got away with the most inexcusable motivation! My brother always tells me that you need to convince others with evidences, before you can close a case. I-I really want to get back there and dig more inside his old brain…_

 _…_ _why I'm even walking away, then? Wh-what I'm thinking?! I… … wait… th-there is something more odd than that._ _ **Why I'm losing my patience this easily?**_ _Uhm… my mature self would definitively slap me more than once for that behavior, bu-but I would do that to myself too!_

 _He did mentioned something about that lake and sign… also…_

Mirii turns behind: Hun's eyes were almost closed as his head kept tilting up, whenever it falls down.

 _Hunley… he can't even hold himself, without risking to fall down! No… no, this is not normal at all! That water did much worse than I… or should I say, WE could possibly imagine. The reactions are different, though… because of our different personalities?_

 _Ooowww… my head… I can't concentrate like I want, if I hear this strong pain…! I… I refuse to fall into the abyss: I must raise… stronger than before. I'll no longer accept any imperfections from my part. I must take the reins and guide this fate over the real road, before its cart will be lost into the realms of chaos._

Mirii keeps nodding, slowly. She resumes her walk, as Hun widely opens his eyes.

"Mirii…" He yawns loudly, as his hand keeps moving back and forth over his mouth. "Where are we going…?"

"The house we found earlier didn't meet our criteria." Her eyes fell over a white front door, with some faint traces of brown. "For our ranks, the perfect abode must have kinder owners, larger house, medical assistance over the water problem and"

"Hey, hey there!"

Mirii's head immediately turns over the source of that female voice. Her eyes tracked a female and male Inkling… both with their fists over their hips and a large grin. A red mantle was waving from their shoulders and a black thin mask was covering their eyes. Mirii's head was just slightly above half of the woman's height.

"Someone winded up a call, stating that two dry kids are causing a ruckus in and out the whole village!" The woman bends forward a bit. "Looks like your fun games are about to meet a wave of trouble."

Her teeth shined. Mirii frowns a bit, as her eyes expanded and her mouth was open.

 _Who ARE those idiots?!_


	17. Chapter 16 - Heroes

**Man, I had a blast writing this chapter down! It's easily one of my favorites!**

 **Send in your feedback, if you are liking my story so far!**

* * *

"And who we have the pleasure to meet with...?" Mirii folds her arms.

Hun rubs his right eye with his right forefinger.

"Pleasure!" The woman laughs loudly, as she holds her stomach. "Is this kid acting like the boring top hills?!"

A large vein pops over Mirii's forehead.

"More like this hill is in fun size." The man grins even more.

The woman laughs even louder, bending lower. Smaller veins were all over the young girl's forehead.

"Totally right! We are dealing with the smallest of the small hills!" The woman flashes her grin.

Mirii dashes, leaving a tall cloud of dust behind: she jumps, grabbing the woman's white shirt with a triangle composed of just 6 full red circles on her stomach.

"DARE TO COMPARE ME ONE MORE TIME WITH HEIGHT AND YOU'LL HAVE THE PLEASURE TO VISIT A HILL, AFTER I THROW YOU ONTO ONE!" She moves the woman back and forth with both her hands.

The tall lady picks the small girl's hands, as she pushes Mirii some feet farther from herself. She turns over her left, throwing her left arm upwards and her right fingers on her chest, while the eyes are closed.

"The giiirl got salty… she's wanting some more…!" Her words felt like a melody.

"Are you even paying attention over your statements?!" Mirii clenches her fists, as she stomps the floor. "What are your plans, exactly?!"

The woman laughs, as her left wrist rests over her left hip and her right hand was positioned in front of her mouth, sideways. Her eyes fell over the girl, as her eyelids lower on the middle.

"It looks like you made fried squids with that temper of yours!" She grins. "Capturing you two is going to be so boring…"

"Bah!" The man punches his own fists. "You **Coal miners** could have brought more pests into the party!"

Mirii backs behind a little, while her mouth is left open.

" _Coal miners?! Why this buffoon shouted such false information?! … unless…_ "

The small girl steps forward.

"You fools couldn't even distinguish coal from just plain rock!" She grits her teeth.

"Ha ha ha!" The woman claps, while laughing. "Nice comeback for someone who digs and picks every day!"

Mirii snorted, bending forward more.

"You need to dry out those eyes and clean your ears, since those are been stupidly tricked by untruth voices and unconvincing appears!"

The woman smiles, looking over Mirii's dress: it was appearing bluer.

"Oh my!" Her right hand stops over her mouth, as she grins and lowers her eyelids to the middle. "The teacher doesn't know that dresses are not handkerchiefs!"

Mirii lowers her eyelids, as her head rose a bit.

"The student didn't deduct the truth."

"Oh yeah?!" The woman's hands fell on her hips, while grinning. "Then throw the answer away, smarty tentacles!"

"Hmpf." Mirii shakes her head. "Your idiotic mind couldn't figure out that we dived into the lake."

Suddenly, the woman opens her mouth as her eyebrows rose.

"Wait, what?!" Her hands fell in a loud slap, over the top of her head, as her knees bended.

Mirii bends her back, a little behind, as a small frown gradually grows. The woman raises her right leg, stomping the floor as the ground shakes: the small girl waved, as her arms were open. Hun tilted a bit, as his eyes were closed, his arms were still: he was snoring silently.

"You dwarves seriously dived over that frozen lake, leaving your brain behind?!" Her arms were bended, as her fingers twitched.

Mirii snorted.

"Your brain would take a swim in such refrigerating lake!" She clenches her fists. "Especially when the water manipulates your weak will!"

The woman backed, as her teeth gritted and her eyebrows were down.

"You pesky, little… you harmed the Guardians during your greasy jetting, didn't ya?!"

"Good play of words, my little Squid." The man's right hand fell over his heart, as he grins over the woman. "You surfed around the sea, like your hands are preparing your delicious tea."

The woman turns over the man, as her right hand stands in front of her face, while giggling: her cheeks got brighter.

"Aaaawww, Bamtam…" Her hands grasps her cheeks, as her right leg bends upwards. "Don't make me listen over your most-excellent rhymes…! Don't you see we have a little pebble to dunk over an aquarium?"

"Before you decide to see your hands wrapped over your wrists…" Mirii folds her arms, as her head was lowered a bit. "… use your inferior brains to reveal the lake's situation, over your teacher."

The woman lowers her hands and clenches her fists.

"Ha ha ha… you sure know how to send in the big words, despite your bean size!" She turns around, while cracking her knuckles. "Do you wanna get a shower of punches or having the breeze of becoming the first known Frisbee Squid?"

"None of those childish, pathetic choices!" Mirii moves her right hand from her left, right onto her right hip. "Instead, explain the features of that lake while stopping your mindless parade of insults!"

The woman laughs, as her right hand covers her eyes. Multiple veins were popping over Mirii's forehead.

"Aaaaah… come on…" She looks over some lights around the edges of a hipped roof: she lowers her head towards Mirii. "You Coal miners lived underground for so long, to not even think about the possibility for someone who existed more than you?"

"What?!" The small girl grits her teeth. "What kind of nonsense are you shouting now?!"

"Your face!" A huge smile drew the woman's face. Her right forefinger points Mirii's head as her left hand fell over her open mouth. "Wow, that brilliantly-made face speaks out so much _Waaaah! They got my caaaandy!_ "

Smoke was coming from Mirii's ears.

"I had enough of your ridiculousness!" She turns over Hun. "Hunley, let's walk away from those idiots."

The boy was snoring silently. Mirii's hands fell on her hips, as her right foot taps the floor.

"Hunley, your perfect dignity is going to get covered in infantile insults if you don't open your eyes!" The girl walks towards the boy.

She picks his shoulders, as small shakes were moving Hun back and forth. He keeps snoring, with his eyes closed.

"Hunley! Hunley, wake up!" Her eyebrows rose, as she moved the boy even more. "HUNLEY!"

Hun snored loudly for one second, before whispering something. Her ears caught the word "Mirii".

"Hu-Hunley, please… show me your will to free yourself from this curse!" Her eyes were forming tears. "I know that my splendid words can penetrate throughout the depths of your sleeping prison!"

The boy kept snoring: a tear fell from Mirii's right eye.

"N-no… no…" Jerkily, her head tilts downwards. "Th-there must be a brilliant solution…"

"Move aside, kid."

Mirii turns over the woman: she was standing some inches away. Her mouth was downturned. The girl growled, as she lies her back in front of Hun and opening her arms.

"Disappear from us, before I"

"No more games." She shakes her head. "In fact, I would like to bow with the boulder of shame over my back."

The woman bows down. Mirii's eyes kept moving up and down, seeing the stranger's hand movements.

"You…" Her mouth dropped. "… your foolish mind should stay far away from us, right in this instant!"

"I'll not!" The woman frowns a lot, while raising her back. "I can hear the boy's noble heart beating faster each time your voice caresses his soul!"

Mirii's cheeks brightens vividly.

"Wh-what are you implying, with such over the top words?!" Her irises shrunk, her eyes expanded.

The woman smiles.

"None of those coal monsters are capable to understand the fine art of being good." She nods. "You were just being affected by the wise Guardians' water, which tremendous powers could decompose even the most awesome personality you are seeing right now."

"I-I didn't need obvious statements to reach such conclusion!" Mirii folds her arms.

"Eh eh…" The woman grins as her right hand fell over her mantle, retreating it in plain sight with a small clear bag containing multiple small, white square-like materials. A red bow was tied at the tip of the pile. "Teacher, could you please catch this bag full of yummy goodies?"

The woman throws the bag, as Mirii catches it with her left hand which she throws behind with her head still pointed over the two Inklings. The bag impacted over a white stone, rolling for a few inches. The woman gasped, as her right hand fell in front of her mouth and her shrunk irises were glued over the bag.

"HOW DARE YOU THROWING SUCH MASSIVE GIFT, LIKE A ROCK?!" Her hands were grasping her tentacles.

"Hmpf." Mirii folds her arms again, while raising her head slightly. "Again, I didn't need your obvious statements to reach my conclusion."

The woman growled, while gritting her teeth. Her fists were clenching tightly.

"Darn you little"

The man's right hand fell over the woman's left shoulder: she turns towards his face, which was shaking left and right. His right hand fell over his chest, as his mouth downturns.

"My heart will swallow a hit, if you throw this poor girl over a pit."

The woman keeps looking over the man, with a frown: it gradually disappears, as a bright smile grows over her red cheeks.

"Aaaaawwww, Bamtam…" Her hands fell on her cheeks, as her right leg bends upwards. "Your sweet rhymes are the only cure over this contagious anger!"

Bamtam smiles, as he grabs her right hand while kneeing down.

"It's all thanks to you, my dear muse. Let's fly over the moon, Gimisa, so I can show you my next rhymes… very soon."

The woman's cheeks got even redder, as her mouth rose.

"Yes, Bamtam… bring my sorry butt with you!" She grasps his hand. "I want to travel in each galaxy, listening to all your marathon of tubular wordouts."

The man stands up: slowly, the two Inklings moved upwards while keeping their positions. Mirii raises her head, watching Gimisa and Bamtam getting smaller over the vastness of the dark-blue sky.

" _…_ _Gimisa and Bamtam…_ " She lowers her head, seeing a small statue of a Squid covered in snow and talking inside her head. " _How those fools could find such interest towards the complex, yet majestic, logic of words?!_ "

She turns over Hun, as he was still snoring.

" _Hunley… I could not stop criticizing myself, for what my incapacity did to your honorable presence._ "

Her eyebrows rose, while her mouth downturns. Her eyes fell over the clear bag, as small flakes of snow rest on it.

" _My hopes… could those rocks really represent the antidote of this nightmare? Perhaps…_ "

Mirii walks over the clear bag.

 _My anger tricked my perfection._


	18. Chapter 17 - Grandma

**Whoa, long chapter ahead! It's been a while since I wrote like this...**

 **Are you liking the story this far? Please send in a review about it.**

* * *

Mirii bends down, over the clear bag: she picks it up with both her hands, as the right one pushes away the short snow resting on it.

" _Those rocks sure look like pieces of candy… but they are going through my divine palate first._ "

Her glove-like fingers pulled the bow, as the clear bag quickly opens up. The same hand dived into the pile, returning with one white material. Her eyes closed, as the piece was traveling over her mouth. Her fingers just tipped her lips, as the item entered inside.

With her mouth now sealed, the cheeks kept moving in a wave rhythm. Her eyes free themselves, pointing at a bush adorned with lines of light, which small bulbs were changing color.

" _This candy… … brilliance._ " She smiles. " _No words could help my foolish persona, into complimenting such unreachable cuisine._ "

She turns behind, seeing Hun, as her hands were both holding and covering the bag.

" _My small body feels like ready to reach new levels of perfection._ _None of those enigmatic puzzles could hide their secrets, in front of a prodigy reaching the maximum level of shape._ "

She walks over the boy, as her right hand picks out another candy.

" _Now it's time for Hunley to reborn from his cursed sleep… becoming the ultimate partner I could ever wish for._ "

Her smile grew, as her cheeks got brighter. Gently, her left hand opened his mouth as her right one puts the item over his tongue. Slowly, the girl closes the mouth as his cheeks were already moving all over the place.

" _Such effectiveness can't be a product of shameful trickery… otherwise I'd reject the product in disgust._ "

Hun snorted: jerkily, his eyes opened. Mirii opened her mouth, as her eyes were sparkling.

"HUNLEY!" She clasps her own hands, diving over the boy with her arms wrapping around his shoulders.

"Wh-what…? Mirii…?" He yawns loudly.

"Seeing your hopeful smile is just enough to bright this night!" Her back goes behind, as the face was looking directly to his.

"Huh…?" He rubs his right eye. "What happened…?"

"You were under an utterly terrible curse, Hunley." Her arms stretched over her hips. "Now this awful event belongs to the distant memories of the past."

"Uh… I…" He shakes his head quickly. "I feel this incredible taste over my tongue!"

He chews loudly, as his irises were shot upwards.

"Where did this amazing food came from?!" His eyes were almost popped out.

"From this." Her right hand reveals the bag. "Fist your eyes over the solution of all our frustrating problems."

The boy moved closer, as a small chuckle escaped his mouth.

"I-I want more of those healthy things!" His forefinger points over each of the candies. "My parents and sister would not stop jumping from the joy, once their mouth meet those friendly meals!"

"They will." Mirii nods, as her right hand covers the bag. "But first, we must find the way of return in this mysterious world."

"Ah… shucks, you are right!" His right hand fell over his head's back, scratching it loudly. "I bet your skillful mind already knows the name of this village."

"Thank you for the compliment." She nods with a smile. "But not even my genius could figure out the identity of this silent village…"

Her head twisted and turned around, tracking decorated houses with smoke coming from each chimney: on the snow, a small snowsquid with a scarf around the neck and a red hat on the head.

"However, those lively houses are holding the desired keys to open our curious questions." Mirii turns over Hun. "Hunley, I need your reliable assistance in order to achieve such important result."

"Ok!" He raises his thumb, while smiling. "Just tell me, what's the first thing we are going to do in this peaceful village?"

Mirii turns over the white front door, with faint traces of brown.

"Stay near me, showing your nice personality over the owners of that house." She walks, as her hands grasped the clear bag tightly.

Her feet stepped over the stone steps, now stopping over the soft mat with the word "WELCOME" written in an alternate red and green pattern. Bells and stars were spread around it.

" _Not even my light weight should stand over this masterpiece._ " Mirii smiles. " _I wonder if the legend is also the owner of this humble house…_ "

Her right hand formed a fist.

 _Knock knock._

Her hands were now pulling and stretching her dress, as her right tentacle's tip touched Hun's left hand: a shiver crossed over her back, as the color red dominates over her cheeks. The door opens, revealing an Inkling woman with wrinkles all over her face, as her small eyes were behind thick, round glasses.

"Oh dear…" Her high-pitched voice rose the two Inklings' ears. "I would never expect such young kids standing in front of my little door…"

Mirii bows down.

"Good evening. My name is Mirii Hanache and the boy over my right is Hunley... I-I mean Hun!" Her fists clenched, as her cheeks blushed even more brightly.

The woman coughs loudly, while adjusting her glasses with her thin, trembling fingers. She pulls the door even more.

"Please, enter in and show your palms over the nice Mr. Fire…" Her left arm stretched over a lit chimney.

"Thank you." Mirii smiles, bowing down once more and walking inside the house.

Hun walks right behind the girl, as he turns towards the woman and nodding in a bright smile. The woman pushes the door with both her hands, as her head tracked the kids stopping in front of the chimney.

"Use my comfy armchairs, my young guests." She smiles, as her feet were slowly dragging the woman over the chimney.

"We will with pleasure." Mirii nods.

She sits over the left, dark green armchair in leather, while her right hand took her right tentacle and stroke it gently. Hun looks over his right, seeing another dark green armchair: he jumps on it, sitting in the process. Mirii frowns a bit, snorting and raising her head a bit.

"Hunley, manners." Her irises were on him. "This gentle woman should not witness any goofy shows from our parts."

"Forgive me…" He shows his teeth, as his eyes were closed and his eyebrows rose.

"No, don't say that good boy…" The woman stops on Hun's left, as her back bends forward. "My quiet house could use some fun action, from time to time…"

The boy's eyes were on the woman's left tentacle: were both white with a vague trace of yellow and round spots of different sizes, colored in light-black. Her fragile hands carefully took the tentacle, while trembling: they were stroking it, as her head lowers diagonally and a sigh made her mouth move.

"The time is getting thinner… and so my beautiful tentacles…" She walks over an armchair, twisting her head and slowly sitting on it, while moving slightly left and right and squeezing her eyes. "I still have desire to know more about the world… yet, I keep forgetting to check in my honest mirror."

Hun's mouth downturns even more.

"You are wrong! You are still a happy miss in my eyes!"

The woman giggles, which quickly turned into a cough.

"My adorable nephews always told me that no storm could stand a chance against my impressive navigation skills, no matter how heavy my tricky age is."

"Uh..." Hun's head tilts to the right as he sealed his mouth, holding an incoming sneeze. "What navigation skills?"

"You didn't understand…?" Her small eyes widened, as her hands fell over her knees, massaging them. "Why, I was referring to my long-time, legendary experience on the mysterious sea."

"In other words, this courageous woman used to travel by ship." Mirii's eyes were closed, while her arms folded. "Although, my sharp eyes didn't track anything resembling a bay or any maritime elements in this unknown village."

" **Artacunia** is the name you were curiously seeking." The woman's hands fell on her chest, clasped, as her eyes were closed. "In all my memorable years, you are the first person to not know this famous name."

"What?!" Mirii stood up, as her eyes expanded, her jaw dropped and her right cheek twitched. "No elusive name escapes my hungry mind! Let alone exposed ones!"

The woman chuckled, coughing right after.

"You shouldn't give any care over something this silly."

"My perfect rank can't survive by silly mistakes!" The girl was breathing faster, as her eyes were getting slightly watery.

"Actually… my vast knowledge is a total waste, right now." She fell over her armchair, as her legs throws themselves upwards, descending down without any force.

"Dear…" The woman's mouth downturned, as her hands rest on the armchair's right arm. "I'd not tolerate to see such gentle girl, falling in deep desperation."

"S-since the very beginning of the day…" She sniffed loudly, while her teeth were gritted and her hands were clasped. "I-I ventured into situations unseen from any known Squids."

The woman kept looking Mirii: she slowly retreats her hands, lying them over her knees.

"Listen…" Slowly, the woman rose from the armchair, as a small smile drew her face. "… I'll go over the kitchen, preparing some delicious hot chocolate for you two." She looks the young kids. "I'm sure your interesting story would not feel so evil, after being sweetened up a little."

Her right eye winks over Mirii. The girl sniffed loudly, while rubbing her eyes.

"Thank you for all your kindness." She smiles. "I-I don't even know how to repay such immense gratitude…"

The woman looks over the fire.

"You are already doing too much for this lonely woman…"

She let out a loud sigh, as she begins to walk away, with her legs trembling over each step.

* * *

Mirii's eyes were closed, as her hands were holding a large white cup with orange dots all over it. Her mouth was hanging right on its edge, slowly drinking a brown liquid with smoke faintly raising over the air. Hun was holding his white cup with green dots spread around from its handle, drinking the liquid in a faster pace.

"Aaaaah!" His tongue licked all his mouth's sides. "It felt like drinking Chocolate Bread!"

The woman giggled, with her eyes closed. Mirii's eyes opened, as a frown grew over her face and her hands were lowering the cup.

"Hunley! How could you let your noble self act in such barbaric manner?!" She snorted. "This incredible treat should deserve more royal respect."

"No no, it's nothing terrible… I'm used to see brave sailors singing and shouting, as a sign of appreciation over my dainty food." The woman was knitting a wool shirt, with each hand holding a needle.

"Sailors…" Mirii's eyes fell over her right for a second. "Mrs. Panae, you heard mine and Hunley's story while offering us your well-made beverage."

The woman adjusts her glasses.

"Now you want to hear my ancient story… am I correct?" She kept knitting.

"Yes." Mirii nods, as she puts her cup over a small table. "It's time we finally know more about this… ahem… magical world."

"I may traveled far, touching the horizon of the sea many times…" The woman sighed. "… but Inkopolis is a city that my once-young eyes never found."

"The real enigma is how we found ourselves on the cold snow!" Mirii opens her arms, shaking her head. "And… th-that water who corrupted our intelligent minds and also"

"Dear, your huge curiosity is getting the best of you." She turns over Mirii, smiling. "Let it slide away for a moment and hear my long story…"

The girl sealed her mouth, lowering her head. The woman coughed, as her hands resume their knitting work.

"Last time I told my youth… my nephews were all gathered here, around a nice fire… when they had your young age." She moved her rocking chair.

Mirii rose her head, while her mouth was left open.

"How old are they now?"

The woman kept looking over the shirt, as her hands were busy in their meticulous job. The kids look at each other: Hun swallowed silently.

"They have a job… over a place known as **The Land of the Riches**." Her mouth downturned, as her nose sniffed loudly.

"The land of… huh?" Mirii tilts her head.

"When I was a young woman, my splendid ship would usually stop in their bay, either to receive supplies… or to let our honest sailors have their desired freedom." She coughed once.

"Your ship? So… you were a captain, back then?" Mirii's right eyebrow rose, as her eyes took a wide look over her right.

On a small table, a photo portraying a young woman Inkling wearing a stripped white-light blue shirt and a white hat: she was grinning and winking, as her left hand formed a V sign. Her right arm was passing right over a young man Inkling, wearing a black jacket, white shirt and a black hat: he was smiling while his eyebrows were lowered, forming a V sign with his right hand, as his left arm went over the woman's shoulders.

"Yes… together with my lovely husband." Her cheeks were faintly red. "We were the owners of the famous ship known as **Squidsonia**."

"Squidsonia…" Mirii looks over the ceiling, while nodding slightly.

"Actually, that wonderful ship… it really makes my heart beat, each time I remember it." Panae's cheeks got even redder.

"Why?" Mirii looks over Hun, as her right eyebrow rose.

"Th-that… it's because… because… you see, I-I wasn't a captain when I was 18…" Her shirt fell down, as her hands tremble a lot. "I-I was working over the pub as the cleaning lady… th-that was the place when I met him…"

Her fingers twiddled, as her smile was growing a lot.

"He wa-was a stranger, in the past… he… he-he… he had his eyes on me, since I-I had to help over the counter… I-I kept smiling, too shy to… to even exchange a word with him…"

The woman breathes loudly, two times, as her left hand stood over her heart.

"He wa-was the first to do so… he-he talked to me with such charisma and skills…" Her glasses were dancing a bit, as her head was trembling. "I-I learned from our first discussion, th-that he-he was a young sailor… and Artacunia was chose as a typical de-destination zone for their ship… since then… he-he kept returning in the pub… bringing me all kinds of souvenirs… e-each time, my heart couldn't slow down… I-I desired everyday to take a sea trip with him… I-I was getting brave enough to communicate my increasing need to him…"

Mirii turns over Hun: both kids were smiling at each other.

"One day… he-he came inside by surprise… saying my name… lo-looking for me… I-I was getting ready to serve at the pub… I-I remember what he said, once I stepped out from the staff room…" Her right hand was jerkily caressing her right cheek. " _Panae, do you have a minute? I want to show you something really special…_ "

The woman let out a loud sigh.

"I-I nodded, without saying a word… he-he took my hand… th-this hand…" She shows her right hand. "He brought me over the bay… I… I-I saw one of the largest ship I-I could even imagine! Th-the looks… th-the fresh wood… I-I was shocked from such elegance! My husband… he-he stood in front of me, kneeing down. He-he was trembling so much, I-I thought he had some awful pain… instead… he said… _Panae, this ship behind me represents the love I have for you. Would you like to live an adventure with me…?_ "

"Wow… such perfect achievement!" Her mouth was open, while smiling.

"Ever since I-I was in his heart, my husband had multiple dreams… where I-I was with him on a large ship… traveling through many worlds… meeting different people… and finding precious treasures. He was thinking for a long time… about having the license to own a ship and sharing it with me… th-the truly representation of our love… the start of a wonderful journey… th-that day signed my departure over my beloved town… but I'd come back one more time, after some years, to bring a gift which the mayor would never thank me enough."

"What was the gift?" Mirii wiggled her nose.

"Rare Squids known as Guardians." She smiles. "They were domesticated by me and my husband: we told them to protect the town from anyone who had an evil heart. With their light, they changed the normal water into Squid water: anyone can dive in, but everyone is going to be affected… however, they were trained to help out the good strangers, thus the reason why they can also be called **The gentle guardians**."

"I see…" Mirii nods. "I can't believe such Squids could do this… I heard the possibility that Squids were living under our sea. Although, no one met such mystical creatures…"

Mirii sighed loudly.

"Mrs. Panae, I have another question for you."

"Yes, dear…" She picked her shirt and needles.

"Where is your husband, nowadays?"

A deep silence dominated the room. The woman kept looking over a corner, with her mouth sealed… then starts waving, gradually increasing in density. Her eyes were getting watery…

"John…" She whispered.


	19. Chapter 18 - Memories from the past

**I had enough time to finish up this chapter, much sooner!**

 **If you are liking this story so far, please send in a review.**

* * *

"Hmm?" Mirii shook her head, while semi-closing her eyes. "Could you please gently repeat your last statement?"

The woman kept looking over the corner. Mirii's eyebrows rose, as her mouth hold her breath and her head turned over Hun. The boy covers under, behind the armchair's left arm, while trembling.

"You asked…"

Mirii quickly turned over Panae: a tear slides down, passing her right cheek.

"… where my lovely husband is…?"

"N-no, no!" Mirii shakes her head, as she stood up on her legs. "I-I never asked"

"Please… do-don't worry… i-it's fine…" Her trembling right wrist dries her right eye. "I-I was about to reach… th-that dreadful moment…"

"No, wait!" Mirii rushes, stopping near the woman. "If the memory is too much to bear, you should just ignore my inopportune question!"

The woman shakes her head, as her right hand took Mirii's right cheek, shaking it a bit. Her smile weakly rose.

"Mirii… I'd never be consumed by anger, in front a kind girl's simple question. I-I keep thinking about th-that day in the past, ever since… John…"

Her head lowers, as small sobs were heard from inside her mouth.

"John... … as I said before, we were both the captains of the famous Squidsonia. We traveled around many islands and new lands… bringing cargo to our clients… or even helping a group of archeologists, searching for new treasures or hidden palaces…"

The woman sighed, sobbing a bit more loudly.

"One day… I-I was examining the map, preparing the route for our next expedition… m-my eyes were a bit full of sleep and my stomach was grumbling… I-I would have paid to stay one more hour on the bed, but the clients were already at the entrance… I-I only had 30 minutes left, before the ship could leave."

The woman sniffed loudly.

"Despite the fact, I was yawning and fighting against the pain on my mind… I-I managed to complete the route, since the location and its path had rather advantageous conditions. I rushed over the bridge, while holding the map… and… and I saw John… sitting on a chair… looking down… tears were dropping from his eyes…"

Mirii's eyes were getting watery.

"John… J-John…" She rose her head upwards, as her eyes were full of tears. "He kept looking at the floor… I-I dashed over him, asking everything I could come up with… he-he didn't want to talk! S-sniff… he… he knew that his words… th-the words were… were going to harm my heart…"

"Wh-what he said?!" A tear slides from Mirii's left cheek.

"… he… he announced… that the clients at the entrance… those weren't clients…"

The young Inklings left their mouth open.

"They were… **the owners of our ship.** " Her hands covered her eyes, as the woman sobbed loudly.

"The what?!" Mirii rose her posture, almost walking behind. "That's ridiculous! You clearly stated that you and your husband were the owners!"

She shook her hand, sobbing and sighing: those were going throughout her own house.

"John… he never told me that the ship… he bought the ship, by assuming a large debt." Her hands fell over her legs.

The woman's face was completely red, even more her eyes.

"S-sigh! He… he didn't want to throw at me, th-the heavy fear… that all the sudden… th-those people would come… an-and take our ship away…"

Mirii's mouth was waving, her eyebrows were almost on her forehead.

"S-sometimes, John wanted to stay alone… i-inside his cabin… thinking… looking at the horizon… I-I always wanted to stay with him, in those moments… he-he never let me… he-he didn't want to expose his tears in front of me…"

"Were you worried…?" Mirii's right hand dries her right eye.

"I-I didn't think about it, too much… I-I couldn't wait to explore new islands with him… an-and usually, we laughed and cheered in many occasions… we bought our house at The Land of the Riches… we had children…"

Panae smiled… for a moment.

"Sometimes, they would come with us… playing with us… learning with us." She sobbed, as her hands covered her mouth. "It was… too good… I-I was like inside the best of the dreams… except… th-the nightmares were coming… from the same horizon, John was watching… he knew… he knew that the cursed day would come…"

Mirii swallowed quietly.

"John… in those old days, he just wanted to see me smiling… he never wanted anything for himself… except his family. Unfortunately… th-the owners of the ship appeared in our sight. Th-they… they took back their ship… th-they have torn our house… an-and they even arrested John."

"WHY?!" Mirii kept sobbing and crying. "WHY THEY DID THAT?!"

"… because… my husband couldn't pay… and that was against the laws of the Land of the Riches…" Tears were falling from the woman's eyes.

Mirii gritted her teeth, growling and frowning: her fists were shaking.

"For those who disobey the laws… they had to pay, by going to work for days over high mountains located in a far, desolated land… John told me their names… **Coal Industries**."

"Coal?!" Mirii left her mouth open. "Gimisa and Bamtam wrongly accused me and Hunley for being Coal miners! That woman even said that those were… monsters…"

The woman sobbed loudly.

"At the time, no one knew anything about them… bu-but… I… …"

 _Please, sirs! Don't take away my husband! Our children are still young and many archeologists are seeking for out help!_

 _Miss Panae, don't utilize those silly excuses! The law was as clear as the sky: if no one can pay, they must work at the mines._

 _Bu-but our affairs are going strong! You are all going to receive the money, in the near future! Just please…_

 _No. The near future is now._

 _No, please! I-I'm begging you! This gentleman should not receive such punishment! He just wanted to see me smile!_

 _Well… I'm sure that with his money, he granted that wish. But now, what he's going to see is nothing more than coal! And now, if you excuse us… we must bring Mr. John over the mountains._

 _NO! I WANT TO SEE HIM! NOW!_

The woman dries her tears, with a white handkerchief, decorated with blue lines.

 _My princess… I-I know this isn't the time for… for… sigh…_

 _John… bring me with you! I-I can't live one single day, with you so far away…!_

 _What about the children?! They can't live underground! You can't live underground!_

 _No! I don't care if I'd never see the day of the light… neither would they! Our lives will always be happy with you near us!_

 _…_ _I'm sorry, princess… I-I'm sorry for what's happening… I hope we are going to see each other… in our dreams…_

 _N-no, John… don't leave us here! John, please… John… …_

"… the mines… they don't allow anyone contacting other people… everyone is forced to live there… until they can pay their debts."

"And… did John…?" Mirii's right hand fell in front of her mouth.

"… that was the question I still keep asking over myself… even to this day… … John… where is John…? Is he under the ground, mining… or just… NO!" The woman stood up, as her left hand fell over her heart. "N-no… John… JOHN!"

Mirii hugged the woman. Hun jumped from the armchair, sprinting over Panae and hugging her hips.

"… sn-sniff… I-I didn't want to say this… over my kids… … but they had to know… especially when they were more mature…" Her hands were caressing each Inkling.

"So… you went back to Artacunia, since you lose the house… and your kids went to the Land of Riches, once they were older?"

The woman nodded.

"They said… that they would bring back dad… they would work hard to pay his giant debt… … but something else happened…"

Panae sighed.

"The once peaceful town… now, it's a city. A large, busy city… very advanced too. It's been a while, since… my kids returned to Artacunia with their own children. Th-they didn't send me anymore letters… they didn't inform me about my nephews' school achievements… and they never told me anything about John…"

"Why?!" Mirii frowns, letting a sob leave her mouth. "Why they would do that?!"

"I-I don't know, dear… I-I don't know…" Panae sobbed loudly. "It's so far away from here… th-the only way to reach the city is via sea… and I'm too old to steer a ship… I'm… too old…"

She sits on her rocking chair, jerkily, while letting a sigh out. Mirii kept her frown, while nodding slightly.

"Mrs. Panae, I'm sure our smart contribution could help you find the news about your honest husband." She smiles.

"Mirii… your young height would never let you pass the dangers of the sea." Her mouth downturned, as her back bends.

Hun lends the wool shirt with the two needles over Panae. The woman smiles.

"Thank you, dear." She nods, while picking the needles.

The boy smiles.

"Actually, I have in my genius mind an even smarter idea." Mirii picks her right tentacle, stroking it.

"Oh…" The woman adjusts her glasses, while leaving her mouth open.

"I need to find Gimisa and Bamtam. Do you know them?" She turns her head around.

"Yes. They have unseen powers… which they use to protect weak people and restore the good justice." Her hands were knitting.

"They seem to know something about the Coal miners!" Mirii's fists clenched, her back went forward. "Maybe they could go in their mysterious mountains, searching for John!"

Panae kept knitting.

"Dear, I asked that once… they answered _No way, cool history! Our powers would completely disappear, if we fly anywhere near those boring mountains!_ "

"Curses!" Mirii's glove-like fingers snapped, as her right forefinger taps her right cheek. "Th-there must be a logical way…"

"If only our older selves were here…" Hun shakes his head, while looking over Mirii and his mouth downturns. "They could have done something about"

"Wait!" Mirii's eyes were wide open.

A big smile touched her cheeks.

"Hunley… you perfect genius!" She hugs the boy.

"Huh?!" His eyes expanded.

Both the young Inklings' cheeks were brighter.

"I knew you were too bright for such humble personality!" Mirii looks right over his eyes.

"Mirii, is there something"

"Mrs. Panae!" The girl turns towards the woman. "Could you please call Gimisa and Bamtam?"


	20. Chapter 19 - Sunglasses

**Sorry for uploading a bit late than usual... but here's the newest chapter!**

 **If you liked the story so far, please send in a review about it!**

* * *

 _Knock knock._

Panae rose her ears, as her hands were lowering the needles. Her head turned to the right, seeing Mirii standing still.

"Please, stay on your comfy seat." Mirii nodded, while smiling. "I'm going to personally open the door."

"Me too!" Hun slides, stopping right on Mirii's left side.

"But you are my young guests!" The woman left her mouth open.

 _Knock knock._

"This and more for a person who let us rest near a chimney and drink delicious hot chocolate." Mirii turns over Hun.

Both the kids nodded, walking together over the main door. The woman smiled, as her back slowly touches the rocking chair's curved back. Mirii reaches the door handle, gently pulling the door… seeing Gimisa grinning, while her fists were over her hips. Bamtam was folding his arms, grinning as well.

"Hey there, teacher!" Gimisa rose her right hand. "Do you wanna throw out your smarty job?"

Mirii snorted, frowning a little.

"As usual, you let your childishness have the best of you…" She shakes her head, while pulling the door even more.

Gimisa chuckled, as she walks inside, followed by Bamtam.

"You sure don't like getting some word business to deal with!" The woman's head points over Panae.

She slowly rose from the rocking chair, turning over the two adult Inklings.

"Good evening, Gimisa." Panae closes her eyes, while warmly smiling. "Good evening, Bamtam."

"Heeeello, cap'n!" Gimisa does a salute. "Your trustworthy sailors are ready to sweep down the deck!"

Panae chuckled, ending in a cough.

"So, cap'n…" Bamtam looks left and right, while cracking his knuckles. "Where is the party?"

"My dear, I called to let Mirii talk to you."

The two Inklings stood immobile.

"Ah…" Gimisa turns behind, bending a bit down and seeing Mirii.

Her wrists were on her hips, as her right foot tapped the floor.

"So, looks like Miss Mirii wants to give us a test…" Gimisa rose, rubbing the tip of her nose.

"No problemo, shorty!" Bamtam nods, as his right hand slides right on his chin. "Fire away!"

"Hmpf." Mirii slightly rose her head. "First request. Stop mumbling nonsense."

Gimisa sighs loudly, while lightly shaking her head.

"Ears up, teacher! The schedule is like crushing us right now, so"

"What are you implying with that cowardly statement?!" Mirii's arms went down, ending with clenching fists, as her feet were standing in tiptoes, her face frowned and her cheeks puffed a little.

"Pretty much to show up the problematic deal!" Gimisa throws two punches in the air.

"Tsk." Mirii folds her arms, while her eyes closed. "I don't think you are going to encounter mindless brutes in your mission…"

"Aawww, really?" Bamtam's eyebrows rose, as his mouth downturned and showed his teeth. "I don't really getting the feel of playing around with boreaucracy."

"It doesn't even involve using smart plays. Because in such case, I'd have dealt with that problem, personally." Mirii shakes her head.

"Then, how about you give us the questions and time requirement already?" Gimisa shrugs.

Mirii sealed her mouth, while closing her eyes.

"Do you two know… Inkopolis?"

"Inkopolis…?" Gimisa's head tilted upwards, over the ceiling.

"Yes." Mirii opens her eyes, nodding.

"… is this a tricky joke?" Gimisa looks over the girl. "I never heard of this weird city! It doesn't even exist!"

"What?!" Mirii frowns a lot, while her eyes expanded and her arms stretched downwards even more. Her fists were clenching and shaking. "How dare you stating such false answer?!"

"Ha!" Gimisa grins a lot, as her hands grasp her hips. "Go take a look over a book, teacher! Or should I say… studying one?!"

Gimisa chuckled, as her right hand covers sideways her mouth.

"Grrrrrrr!" Mirii gritted her teeth, as multiple veins popped from her forehead. "Th-the city exists! I-I was born there!"

Gimisa laughs even louder, bending backwards and slapping her forehead.

"Yeah, sure! What are you going to shout out next? That we have to defeat a 50 feet tall monster, playing Dominos with the buildings?!" The woman puts her right hand over her chest, breathing slowly.

"NO!" Mirii stomps the floor with her right foot. "You must retrieve me and Hunley's old selves!"

The two Inklings stood immobile.

"… huh?" Gimisa's hand slides away from her chest.

"Don't start thinking I'm seeing things!" Puffs of smoke came out from Mirii's ears. "Before we came into this land of eternal snow"

"Wait, wait, wait!" Gimisa moves her hands back and forth. "What kind of candies did you eat?! Your older selves?!"

"Yes." Mirii steps forward. "In this year, I'm actually older and taller than this. I suddenly appeared in the future, right near my perfect mature self! I-I don't even know the persons, the reasons and the methods behind this giant enigma!"

Gimisa stood with her mouth closed, for a moment.

"… Mirii, isn't?" Gimisa knees down, as her right hand fell over Mirii's left shoulder and her mouth downturns a little. "Sigh… I wouldn't never imagine you were living in… well… in this nightmare."

"What nightmare? What stupid words are you mumbling now?!" Mirii frowns a bit.

"No, Mirii." She shakes her head. "This is not a game anymore. We are going to find your parents, as soon as"

"Who told you I wanted to find my parents?!" Mirii pushes her hand away, walking backwards. "I just said that you shouldn't start thinking about any ridiculous assumptions!"

"But what you said IS a ridiculous assumption!" Gimisa stands upwards, frowning a bit. "How can you and yourself from the future exist at the same time?! The world would implode! The stars would puke and the universe would threw us right into the trash!"

"Actually, my flower…"

Gimisa instantly turns over Bamtam, as his hand was rubbing his chin.

"What the little girl said… isn't as weird as you could imagine." He grins.

"A Squid drilling a hole on the ground would make more sense, Bamtam!" Gimisa opens her arms. "You can't seriously suggesting that"

"Gimisa, listen to my explanation…" His right hand fell over his heart, as he bows down a little. "… so your ears will cheer in satisfaction."

"Aaaaawwwww, Bamtam…" Gimisa's hands stand over her cheeks, as her eyes were closed and her right leg bended while standing on her left one. "How mean and despicable I appeared in front of such edginess?! My mind is too primitive into coming up with my most deepest apologies!"

Bamtam chuckles a bit, while shaking his head. Hun turned around, then completely turning behind: his eyes were right on a pair of sunglasses standing at the top of bushy plant.

"Your eyes are all I need. Open up your treasures, baby!" His right hand moves sideways, while the man bows down.

Gimisa giggles, as her eyes were now visible. The bushy plant shook once and twice: Hun jumped, almost yelling.

"Go on Super Squid… bright my brain." Her hands fell over his shoulders, while her eyelids were a bit lowered.

Bamtam smiles, as his right hand fell over hers. Hun touches Mirii's left shoulder: she turns over him, while frowning a bit.

"What's it, Hunley?"

"Th-that plant…!" His right forefinger keeps pointing towards a direction, while his head was still facing Mirii's.

The girl turns behind: her eyes were staring at a bushy plant on a large vase.

"What about the plant, Hunley?" Mirii looks the boy, while her head rose a little.

Hun looks over the plant, in less than a second.

"What?!" He steps backwards two times, as his jaw dropped. "Where are those things?!"

"Hunley, would you please refrain from asking to the air and tell me the solution my sharp eyes were suppose to see?" Mirii folds her arms.

He twists over the girl, as his eyes were shot over the ceiling and his mouth was open.

"Let's see…" His fingers were moving for a bit… then they formed two horizontal ovals. "There were those black, round things on that plant!" He lifts his fingers, while keeping the same form, in front of the girl's eyes. "Like this, you see?!"

Mirii stares over his hand-sign. She took her right tentacle, stroking it.

"Hunley, that plant is semi-covered in darkness: your honest eyes manipulated your perspection."

"No! I-I saw those clearly!" His arms were moving up and down. "Whenever is night, I look through the window and see many nocturnal animals hiding behind the shadows!"

"It doesn't mean your excellent experience is flawless." Mirii shakes her head, while looking over her right tentacle for a moment, tilting it a bit left and right.

"YOU DID WHAT?!"

The two kids jumped, quickly seeing Gimisa bending down but with her head still up.

"Ehm…" The man scratches the back of his head, while sweat drops were jumping from his forehead. He turns over Panae, which was smiling with her eyes closed.

"Bamtam!" The woman's wrists are on her hips, while her face was frowning, her eyes were wide and her cheeks were puffed. "What nuts you had in your head?! You weren't even suppose to chill in that area!"

"M-my flower!" He turns over Gimisa, as his left shoulder shrugs and his right arm bended on his right side. "I-I didn't feel playing the waiting game over that ancient elevator! I just wanted to reach you, as soon as possible… so I would… ehm… I would... I…"

Gimisa snorted, turning her back and folding her arms, as her head rose while frowning and her eyes closed.

"Great show there, poet! Your cool went right under the carpet."

Mirii sighed, while her right forefinger stood on her shaking head's right side.

"And now, what nonsensical problem you two are encountering?"

"Hmpf! Ask Bamtam for that! I have walls in my ears." Gimisa turns a bit more, as her back was facing the man.

"N-no, flower… don't say that!" He walks closer, as his arms wrapped the woman and his head get closer to hers.

Gimisa's head tilted to the left.

"Go break other rules, since you seem to be a genius about it."

"Pl-please! Gimisa… I-I promise to always respect the awesome rules an-and I'll grow more patience in my fresh mind!" His eyebrows were rose, his eyes were watery, his mouth was trembling.

Gimisa snorted, tilting her head upwards even more.

"Pl-please! It's just a bummer seeing you down for the count! I… ah!" He smiles. "Do you remember that rad movie trailer we saw together over the TV…?"

Gimisa's head turned to the right, while her eyes were expanded.

"Wait… are you saying that"

"I think it's time to gulp down some popcorns, baby!" His right eye winks, while he forms a grin.

The woman yelled and jumped, as her arms hugged his ones: the man lifts Gimisa, spinning her around for a while, as the two Inklings were laughing. Panae was laughing too, ending in a small cough.

"WELL?!"

Bamtam stops moving and Gimisa turned her head, while her hands were grasping his shoulders: Mirii's forehead was full of popped eyebrows, while smoke was coming from her ears.

"Could you please leave out your dumb yelling and explain with precise words the whole situation?!" She stomped the floor, while her arms stretched down with her fists shaking.

The man gently let Gimisa touch the floor with her feet. The woman grins, while walking ahead and sinking her left hand in a bowl of candies, standing on a long table's edge.

"Well, well…" She took a candy wrapped in a white plastic card, grinning even more. "Looks like the neo-teacher was too busy lecturing the little boy over there."

"His name is Hunley!" Quickly, Mirii shook her head. "I-I mean, Hun…" Her face was frowning.

"Hun, huh?" Her left hand puts a small round white candy inside her mouth. "Your friend?"

"Yes! He has too a more mature self back in Inkopolis!" Mirii folds her arms, while lowering her head.

"Ah… is he just a mere friend for you?" She smiles, while chewing the candy.

Mirii blushes, while her arms grasped tightly and her eyes almost pop out.

"Wh-what?! Uuuuhhhmmm… w-well…" She jerkily turns over the boy.

Hun was blushing too, as his hands were on his back and his face was looking down the tiles.

"While you think carefully about this question…" Gimisa passes Mirii, while walking over the door and holding the unwrapped piece of plastic. "… we are going back to our funky base."

Bamtam was following the woman right behind.

"Hold it right there!" Mirii steps ahead, frowning. "You still didn't reveal the latest statement, Bamtam said to you!"

"That? Forget it! The stuff he said is off-limits for mere teachers and students!" Gimisa turns over Panae, grinning. "Of course Panae sealed the information right inside her memories."

Panae nodded, while smiling.

"Th-this is nothing more than a poor-created lie!" Mirii stretches her right arm forward, while her forefinger moves up and down. "You must help us into"

"Hey hey, now…" Gimisa turns over Mirii. "I never said anything about going home and watching some movies! Actually, we are going to solve the problem as soon as we reach our boss."

"Your boss?!" Her left leg stepped ahead.

"Yep!" Gimisa's fists are on her hips, while her head rose a little. "I'm sure he'll wisely understand the situation. We will right back, with your grown-up selves!"

She rose her right thumb.

"Trust us, teacher!"

"Yeah! In the meantime, protect Miss Panae!" Bamtam rose his left thumb.

Panae blushes a bit, while giggling.

"See ya later!"

The woman waves her left hand, while pulling the door by grabbing the door handle. The two adults get out of the house, flying away in the sky. Mirii and Hun kept watching the Inklings going behind a cloud. The small girl sighed, as she pushes the door.

"Those two really give me a headache…" She shakes her head, while opening her arms.

"Ooooh, dear… they are such good people!" Panae slowly walks over the two kids. "They stayed up for an entire night, in order to watch my house for just one day…"

Mirii folds her arms, while lowering her head and closing her eyes. Sounds were coming from the kids' behind: they turned, while the girl reopens her eyes. The bushy plant kept moving… suddenly, a pair of sunglasses appear.

 _Eheheheheheheheh…_

Mirii's eyes were expanded.

"What in the world"

All the sudden, loud noises were spread around the room. Yells and cries were decorating the air. The fire was out… as the lights coming from a window were pointing at a clear bag with white square-like materials.


	21. Chapter 20 - Fara

**Make sure to leave a review, if you are liking this story so far!**

* * *

 _So?!_

 _Sir... I kept refreshing the radar, heard the reports from our agents and even asked to our spies._

 _Which means… nothing._

 _No… th-they must be somewhere!_

 _You better look carefully, because you are the only one responsible for this mess._

 _I-I don't understand… why they didn't appear in the Meeting Room?!_

 _You know that Coal Miners were found nearby. Why are you asking such obvious question?_

 _Because Coal Miners never attacked us like this! I know they wanted for a long time infiltrate in our base, but those were rumors said by spies, which never happened!_

 _I told you many times that your little demonstration brings too many risks! I was suppose to finish the majority of my work, if it wasn't for this difficult problem!_

 _Sir, maybe we should count on Gimisa and Bamtam… they may look like lazy adults, but their powers could help them_

 _No! They are needed over the Land of the Riches! Since the arrival of Mirii and Hun, the city's tremendous problems increased in quantity!_

 _But, those 2 kids don't know anything about their situation… th-they might be in danger!_

 _That's your problem! You refused to listen years of experience… and now, you are on your own knowledge!_

 _Sir, wait! Please… give me some advice! This time, I-I'll listen carefully…_

 _…_

 _Sir, please… I know you would deeply hate yourself, if you leave those children behind…_

 _…_ _sometimes, the best strategy is waiting for the good events to come._

 _That's it? Are you sure?_

 _One time I tried… it did work…_

 _Hey look! Are those two…?_

 _Bamtam, looks like we finally found the statues of the future!_

 _Whoa! The ex-small teacher imposed a diet of proteins…_

 _Really? She seems a small goat, who ate a mountain of grass!_

 _Pfffff! You are lucky that her ears are plugged in that nightmare of curse…_

 _Speaking of curse, do you have any clue who's behind this unfunny trick?_

 _I don't know… I have never seen such crushing spell._

 _Eh eh… someone give me a pen! I wanna write on her forehead "Teacher"!_

 _Well, we only have this bag of sugar…_

 _Darn… shucks! When I'll get such brilliant opportunity again?!_

 _So, my flower… they said we have to just spread sugar on their heads?_

 _I guess… I was too busy watching that movie trailer again on my smartphone. Can't wait to sit on your legs, listening to poems and see butts getting kicked!_

 _Yeah! Let's get done, with problem number one!_

 _Aaaawwwww, Bamtam… my feet are melting in boiling ink…_

 _…_

 _…_

"AH!" Mirii's eyes opened, while leaving her mouth open.

"YIKES!" Hun jumped, while waving his arms.

The girl looks left and right: her eyes quickly tracked two tall adults, standing on the road and grinning widely, while their arms were folded.

"Wait… something…" She turns over Hun.

His eyelids were on the middle, as he scratches the top of his head and walks a bit left, a bit forward. Mirii's sight quickly returned over Gimisa and Bamtam.

"Why are you looking at me? Do you need something…?" Mirii took her tentacles, stroking each one of them. A single sweat dropped from her right side.

"Need? Us?" Gimisa's fingers rest on her chest, then her forefinger points over Mirii. "Isn't your super genius mind asking who those two rad heroes are?"

A vein popped from Mirii's forehead, as her eyes were squeezed and her arms are folded.

"No, because the two childish adults refuse to grow past their infantile dreams." She walks over Hun, as her hands were holding his shoulders.

The boy stopped, turning over the girl.

"Uuuuuuuhhh!" Gimisa's right hand rose in front of her mouth, sideways, as a small chuckle escapes. "Watch out, everyone! We have miss tough girl, meowing over two towers!"

Multiple veins popped from Mirii's forehead, as smoke came out from her ears. Hun swallowed, as he stands in front of the girl, while opening his arms.

"Step aside, Hunley!" She tilts left and right, frowning a lot. "I want to talk with that overgrown mass of fat!"

Gimisa yawned, while her right hand waved in front of her mouth and her left hand picked her right side. She stands in tiptoes, with her legs together and her hands going upwards, above her head with closed eyes. Bamtam hugs her stomach, leaning his head over her left shoulder.

"It's sad that the teacher's tricks are getting old… while our coolness is still at the top!" She grins.

"Teacher to who?!" Mirii leans over Hun's right arm, as her hands were grasping it. "Your nonsense is really asking to receive a smart lesson!"

Mirii pulls her tentacles down, squeezing them with strength, while her face was frowning a lot.

"Come on, Mirii!" Gimisa jumped, flipping forward and landing on her feet, while her arms are open. "Try to use your perfect memory even more! We students know we are not following any ignorant teachers!"

"GRRRR!" Mirii stomps the floor, causing a small earthquake. Hun runs over a wall, leaning his back on it.

Gimisa stood in one leg, as her eyes were getting wide and her arms were bending, standing sideways, with her hands going over Bamtam. She sprints, leaving a ricochet sound, as her eyes were seeing Mirii from the man's right shoulder. The man was trembling, with his arms bended on him.

Mirii walks over the two adults: each step was causing a very small, but loud shake on the ground. Gimisa bends down, trembling a lot.

"Ehm… wait up!" Bamtam waves his hands back and forth, as sweat appears on his forehead. "Gimisa was just trying to give you some useful clues!"

"I never saw anyone who called me ignorant, walking away in their irritating, moronic laugh!" Mirii's fingers were moving, as puffs of smoke were out from her ears.

"I'm not laughing! I'm not laughing!" Gimisa rose, grasping Bamtam's shoulders, seeing Mirii from the man's right side.

Her legs were trembling, her eyebrows were high on her forehead, her mouth was downturned.

"I-I would never say ignorant to a friend of mine! You completely misunderstood my harmless sentence!" She swallows.

"I DIDN'T!" Stomping with her left feet, Mirii points Gimisa's face with her left forefinger. "Your idiotic nature can't raise without a forced command who's behind the real reason, why you are daring to attack my perfect status!"

"Alright, alright!" She nodded. "I-I was the true idiot and I'm going into a jail full of mud, as soon as I make you remember what things your younger self did!"

Mirii gasped, as her eyes expanded.

"Wh-what?! How could your stupidity knows such secretive information?!" She steps backwards, as her irises shrunk.

"Because I met you before!" Gimisa jerkily walks past Bamtam, still trembling on her legs and taking her own tentacles. "You were under the influences of the water modified by the Guardians!"

Mirii's mouth was sealed, her back leaning backwards, as questions were rapidly appearing on her mind.

"… water… Guardians… … wait… wh-why I feel this odd, strong sense of déjà-vu…?" She turns over Hun.

He walks over the girl, with his head down and his mouth downturned.

"Mirii… are you alright?" He rose his head, as his eyebrows rose even more. "It had been a while since… ehm… I saw you this angry."

His hands moves sideways in opposite directions, while his head was shaking and sweat was jumping from his forehead.

"Don't get me wrong! This could easily be one of those moments, where my forgetful mind doesn't remember"

"Since when you saw me angry…?" Mirii's left arm rested on her stomach, while her right forefinger tapped her right cheek.

"You never did!" He jumps, covering his face with his arms.

Mirii stood still, as her irises shrunk again. She wasn't breathing, as a flashing light appeared in her sight.

 _THAT'S WHAT IS HAPPENING! WE ARE WALKING FOR ONE HOUR AND WE ARE SEEING NOTHING BUT SNOW! I WOULD RATHER DIVE INTO AN ACTIVE VOLCANO, THAN STAYING ONE MORE MINUTE IN THIS WASTELAND OF AN EXISTANCE!_

Her open mouth's down side was slightly moving.

"… but… no… n-no, that can't be…" Her head shook lightly.

"Are you remembering?" Gimisa smiles, folding her arms and slightly opening her legs in a stretch.

"… no… this has to be a trick!" She turns over Gimisa. "What have you done to my fond memories?!"

"Nothing." The woman closes her eyes, while sighing. "Those are all actions you did, before the world's time was on hold."

"WHAT?!" Mirii's jaw dropped. "THAT'S RIDICULOUS! IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP SUCH POWERFUL ELEMENT, AS THE TIME!"

"Then… take a look around, will ya?" Gimisa gently moves her arm from her right to her left, with her open hands pointing to a group of Inklings.

Some were standing on one leg… other had their eyes closed… even more had a smile… none of them was inhaling air. A sweat drops from Mirii's left side: twisting around, she saw a car standing in front of the right automatic door sideways: smoke was out of the exhaust pipe, standing there… throughout the window, an Inkling man looking ahead, while holding the steering wheel with his hands.

"No… th-this is not possible… THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE!" Her hands were holding her head, while her steps were violently walking backwards. "IN WHAT TWISTED REALITY I'M NOW?!"

"No clues, detective." Gimisa slowly shook her head. "Neither why you two were the only one, capable of breaking free from this awful curse."

"Wait…" Hun's heart skipped some beats, as his face became paler. "Are you saying that… th-that we were"

"Standing still like the others? Yes, why?" Gimisa tilts her head to the left, while her fists were on her hips.

"Wh-what?! We were standing still too?!" His hands were on his throat, as his wide open mouth was forming a large downturned shape, his breath was coming quickly and his feet were moving in place. "NO, NO! I DON'T WANT TO GO! HELP, HELP!"

"Quit acting like a fool, Hunley!" Mirii's eyebrows rose, as her lips were bitted by her teeth. "You are moving and talking! There isn't any remote reasons to even believe your very health is in any drastic conditions!"

His face was right on the girl: gradually, his breath was more slower and quieter. Mirii sighed, with her eyes closed. She walks over Hun, forming a warm smile. The boy's eyes fell slightly on the left, focusing on a small Inkling girl colored in magenta on both skin and tentacles.

She was holding a squid-shaped bright red balloon with her glove-like right hand, while her left hand was grabbing an adult male Inkling's right one. The boy's eyes were still on the little girl: suddenly, his face got even paler, as his balance was stumbling.

"Oh no…" His heart was beating faster, his teeth were gritting, his eyes were looking on the sidewalk. "OH NO!"

"Hunley!" Mirii frowns, almost reaching Hun. "I just told you"

"THIS ONE IS DIFFERENT!" He turns behind, leaning forward. "FARA! FARA!"

The boy sprints, as he passes a girl holding a phone and an Inkling woman holding a baby stroller with a small Squid in it: the baby had the eyes closed, under a blanket in the shape of a smiling, wide eyed, shark. Two arms hugged Hun, as the boy was kicking the air.

"Stop this madness at once!" Mirii squeezed her eyes, while pulling Hun a bit. "Rushing over your sister is not necessary!"

"NO, NO!" He shakes his head, as his eyes were forming tears. "LET ME GO, MIRII! I WANT TO HUG MY ADORABLE SISTER! I WANT TO HEAR HER SMALL VOICE!"

"Hunley, I'm begging you!" Mirii's eyebrows rose, as her nose sniffed loudly. "Stop overreacting! That woman claimed how we are the only ones, capable of moving freely during the sudden stop of the time!"

Hun expanded his eyes: tears were slowly sliding down.

"NO, THAT'S A LIE!" He moves his limbs a lot, proceeding forward just a tiny bit. "ALL SHE NEEDS IS MY VOICE! LET ME TALK TO HER, MIRII! LET ME TAAAAALLLKKK!"

Tears were appearing from under Mirii's eyes.

"St-stop being manipulated from such despicable fear…!" Her mouth was waving, as her arms were pulling more and more and her feet were sliding a bit on their heels. "She's still healthy, Hunley! We were too in a still position, yet we are moving around without any remarkable movement problems!"

"MY LITTLE SISTER CAN'T STAND STILL! SHE HAS TO TAKE THE FRESH AIR TOO! SHE HAS TO LIVE AND SMILE, LIKE ANY LIVING CREATURES DO!" He closes his eyes, gritting his teeth and lowering his head.

"We are going to make her talk, Hun!" Gimisa lands in front of him.

Her eyes were a little red, her frown was small, her mouth downturned half an inch.

"Just let us have some minutes and we'll be back with some bodacious remedy!" Her hands fell on Hun, as her eyes were right on his. "Do you understand?"

The boy stops moving his limbs, as he kept sobbing and crying. He nods, as his arms dried both his eyes. Gimisa smiles.

"Good boy! Get my words in your heart: everyone who's under the spell has still the energy to eat up some marathons. Your little sister… she could squeeze you out with a truckload of care!" Her right eye winks.

The boy's mouth was still downturned, as a transparent liquid was right under his nose.

"Bu-but… my sister…" His eyes squeezed, his mouth rose in an enlarged downturned mouth.

"Your sister believes in your kind patience! Please, Hun… I know your heart speaks a noble language… don't let it sink in a sea of despair! Ok?" Her eyebrows rose.

Hun looks at the woman, sniffing loudly and sobbing silently.

"Please Hunley!"

The boy turns behind: Mirii's eyes were red, as lines of tears were on her cheeks. Her mouth was waving, her face got paler… his eyes were now retreating the tears, while his fists clenched.

"Mirii… I-I fell victim of a weak fear…" His head lowers, as his arms were wrapping the girl. "I-I'm sorry! I-I don't know why no words were getting through my ears! I shouldn't rush like that… leaving you behind."

Mirii smiled, while her eyes closed and her head rose.

"You had a reasonable motive… it was your sense of honorable duty, who made you ready to take immediate action, in order to save a member of your family…"

Her hands were standing on his back.

"At the end… you weren't wrong… such visible trait should be drawn by an artist, then exposed in the most expensive museum… except, seeing you in such drastic state was…"

"I know, Mirii… I know." His hands were sliding on her back. "Thank you for always being with me, no matter what other small fear I'd fall into."

The two Inklings stood there: Mirii and Hun's cheeks were blushing. Gimisa and Bamtam were smiling, then as they took a look at each other… they nodded: silently, they fly upwards with their arms stretched forward and their fists clenching, reaching the white sky in less than two seconds.

On the standing Inklings' left side, a bushy plant was standing behind fences. Suddenly, a pair of sunglasses appear.

 _Eheheheheheheheh…_


	22. Chapter 21 - Attack

**Well, if you are liking this story so far, please send in a review.**

* * *

Mirii and Hun were looking around, as their faces were frowning slightly. Hun's long sleeves on his arms and legs were bended upwards. Mirii pulls off her white jacket, bending it gently and holding it with both her hands.

"Hunley…"

The boy turns over the girl, as his mouth opens slightly. She sighs, raising her eyebrows.

"Are you remembering something from the past?" She lowers her head, while her left fist rests on her chest.

"Uhm…" Hun folds his arms, as his face was tilted upwards. "Not really." He closes his eyes, while shaking his head. "Although, this situation doesn't seem new…"

Mirii turns behind, as her left hand grabs her jacket and her right hand took her right tentacle, starting to stroke it.

"I'm trying to find the perfect reason to explain the motive of all those memories... but the more I think logically about it, the more it feels like I'm blindly believing in some kind of dream!"

She turns back over Hun, walking a bit over him and opening her arms.

"It doesn't connect to any events I did before my 14th age! Yet… I remember when I met my older self, which ironically is me. Then, I remember talking with you, even walking with you in a forest full of snow."

"And we were like our younger selves, for all that time…?" Hun rubs his chin, as he looks to his right: a bushy plant right behind fences.

"Yes!" Mirii bends a little, as her fists were formed. "But that doesn't make any reasonable sense! If my younger self would have been here in the same timeline, I think I would disappear! No wait… any achievements I made back then, would disappear too… and… then… curses!"

She took her head, tilting it left and right.

"No, I can't take that possibility for granted! There has to be a simpler way to explain such phenomeon…" Her left forefinger taps her left cheek, as her eyebrows were down.

Hun's eyes were still on the bushy plant. He scratches the top of his head, lowering his eyebrows.

"Mirii, I think I caught a very vague memory…"

The girl rose her head, staring at the boy.

"Hmm? What did you remember?" She walks towards him.

"I don't know why…" He points the bushy plant. "That weird plant is kinda creeping me out…" His elbows were touching his body, as his eyebrows rose.

Mirii turns over the plant.

"How so? It's just an ordinary plant." Her hands were on her back.

"But seeing that strange thing is reminding me something really scary…" He swallows silently, trembling for a moment.

"Then, try to describe this frightening scene." She turns over the boy, raising her head just a bit.

"Ok! Let's see…" He looks up. "This plant… this plant… I… I saw two circular black items on it."

"Two circular black items?" Mirii folds her arms. "Interesting… anything else?"

The boy shook his head.

"Frankly, I prefer forgetting about this… it's almost making me cry!" Turning over Mirii, his eyes were slightly blue.

Suddenly, Mirii's irises shrunk as she took some steps back!

 ** _Eheheheheheheheh!_**

 ** _AAAAH! WHAT'S THAT?!_**

 ** _HELP! HELP!_**

 ** _LEAVE THOSE CHILDS ALONE!_**

 ** _OW! UGH!_**

 ** _Eheheheheheheheh!_**

 ** _TH-THEY THREW US IN THOSE CAGES!_**

 ** _Wh-where are they taking us…?_**

 ** _Dears… don't panic! Gimisa and Bamtam are going to save us all._**

 ** _Wait… how did we get in this city?_**

 ** _The Land of the Riches! Oh my… wh-what happened to the city?!_**

 ** _It reminds me so much about Inkopolis…!_**

 ** _Huh?! Are we back into our world…?_**

 ** _Eheheheheheheh!_**

 ** _They are keep carrying us… WHAT ARE YOUR INTENTIONS?!_**

 ** _Oh no… I think to finally understand who those are. Dears, take a look over there._**

 ** _Those mountains… Panae, don't tell me those are the Coal Industries?!_**

 ** _Yes, Mirii. Although, I'm sure those are not Coal miners..._**

 ** _I don't understand… why they captured us?! What do they want from us?!_**

Mirii blinked her eyes, multiple times. Hun was near her face, with his eyebrows on his forehead which were showing multiple wrinkles.

"Mirii! Are you alright?!" His hands were on her shoulders.

"Huh…?" The girl shook her head quickly. "Wh-what happened…?"

"I-I don't know!" He shows his gritted teeth. "You stood still without moving a single limb!"

The girl left her mouth open: her eyes fell right on that bushy plant. She gradually frowns, as her right hand pushed lightly the boy's left shoulder, her heart was beating faster and her mind was seeing mental images about a pair of sunglasses on the plant.

"Ehm… Mirii?" Hun turns and walks, as his eyebrows rose, his irises were on the eyes' right corner and his elbows were on his body.

The girl leans near his right ear.

"Keep walking, Hunley." Her voice was low and her eyes were now watching the closed eyes baby Squid.

The boy sealed his mouth, as his right foot kicked an empty red can with the logo "Squid-a-Cola" on it. The item bounced sideways, as loud noises were echoing throughout the area. Suddenly, a pair of sunglasses appears on the plant: those were pointed over the Inklings.

Mirii's irises caught them, as her mouth was holding her breath. A single sweat drops from her left side. Her fists were clenching.

 _Eheheheheheheheheheheheh…_

"WATCH OUT, HUNLEY!" Mirii turns over the plant, showing her fists.

Hun jumped, looking around quickly, while his arms were semi-wide open. A swing-like sound followed the plant, as it jumped more than 10 feet: Mirii's eyes couldn't see very well the item at all.

 _Thump!_

Standing just 2 feet away, a creature which Mirii could see from above. The small hands had sharp claws, which were flashing on their tip. One fin was located on the head's back and behind. Black hair was covering the face except for a grinning composition of sharp teeth.

"Wh-what's that?!" Hun trembled, as he turns into a green Squid.

"There is no time for detailed explanations!" Her right feet stands in tiptoes. "Concentrate!"

"Eheheheheheh!" The creature jumps with the arms stretched over the girl.

Mirii jumped on her left and Hun on his right. The claws penetrated onto the sidewalk, as the monster rose upwards and turns over the girl. The hands shook, as other claws emerged: quickly, they threw the claws as high-pitched swing sounds speeds inside the Inklings' ears.

The girl jumped over one group of flying claws, landing on her hands: she bends her arms, throwing herself upwards as the second group of claws passed under her. Mirii tends her right foot, as her eyes were on the monster's head and her right arm was copying the same leg movement.

 _PAM!_

The creature threw the tongue, as the voice was yelping inside. The arms were wide open, completely still, as the back was lowered. Mirii jumps, while flipping three times as her arms were hugging her legs. Hun bends himself, then dashes over the monster as a small wave of green ink was quickly raising in front of him.

 _PARATHUMP!_

"Niiiieeeeeeeeeee!"

 _POOF!_

Black puffs of smoke were quickly dissolving into thin air. Hun raises, now standing on his two legs. Mirii looks upwards, as her right fingers were on the sidewalk with her legs bended: a small plant was flying away on the clear sky.

"I must say…" She stands up, smiling. "Our perfect coordination really shined in this difficult battle."

The boy looks over Mirii, as his hands were throwing off some green ink spots on his left cheek and his feet were walking towards the girl. A wide smile was reaching his cheeks.

"With you on my side, no monsters are capable to stop us. Not even a group of them!" He puffs his chest, while inhaling air from his nose.

The girl's ears rose, as her irises were resting on her eyes' left corner. Her smile disappeared.

"Focus now, Hunley. I hear fast steps coming in our way…"

"Uh… really?" The boy looks around, seeing Inklings and other sea creatures not moving. "Where?"

Mirii jumped, twisting right behind and landing on Hun's left side. Her right hand fell on her right, large pocket, picking up a small, round candy wrapped in a green foil.

"Turn into a Squid." Her hands were turning the foil, quickly extracting a green candy and putting it inside her mouth.

She chews the candy, as her tentacles were now turning into a green color. Hun becomes a Squid, landing on the sidewalk with his back, in a small splash of green ink: some of it landed on the right side of Mirii's blue pants. The girl looks over the large spot, snorting silently.

She immediately rose her head, seeing three creatures jumping the fences. Mirii tilted her head downwards in order for her eyes to see them. Their hairs were reaching their backs and were laughing in an extremely high-pitched voice.

"Let's get them, sisters!" The girl standing on the left side shouted, sprinting even more than the other two girls.

"Hmpf." Mirii shows her fists, as her head rose. "You are going to learn, what pure perfection is."

The girl spins, as her left leg kicked the creature on her right hip: she screams, rolling on the right. Another girl jumped, as her hands were swinging the claws over Mirii. She jumped backwards, as her left hand sunk in her left pocket and picked a square-shaped, black item.

The monster landed, now throwing her claws in an arc direction. Mirii rolled forward, throwing the item over the creature's feet.

 _PAMF!_

A black substance was spread around, as the girl's legs tried to raise.

"HELP! I'M STUCK!" Her hands were on her legs.

 _POOF!_

The girl exploded in a collection of smoke, flying away as a small plant. Green ink was now standing on the black substance, as Hun slides over another girl. She laughs, as her hair grows longer and swings over the Squid, hitting him on the head and sending Hun over the fences.

He yelled, as he instantly turned into his humanoid form. His hands were on his back.

"NOOO, HUNLEY!" Mirii stretched her right arm over the boy.

She frowns a lot, showing her gritted teeth. Her legs were sprinting, as wind was formed during her run. Suddenly, long black hair grabbed the girl and lifted her from the ground, bringing Mirii in front of the creature. Mirii snorted and growled, as her body was shaking.

"Ihihihihih!" The girl covered her mouth. "Have a good flight!"

The hair threw Mirii upwards, as the clouds were getting closer. The female Inkling yelps, as she was rotating clockwise. Suddenly, she stops going up… starting to rapidly descend down. Her face was now watching the ground, with her limbs wide open. Her eyes tracked down the green ink, standing above the black substance.

With her mouth sealed, she turned into a Squid, slowly moving towards it. The creature was folding her arms, snickering behind her teeth. Mirii's tentacles kept swinging in the direction of the tiny pond, as she almost reached the floor.

 _SPLASH!_

Green ink fled around, as the girl turned away her face in a grimace. She returns her face, watching the green pond: from it, Mirii emerged in her humanoid form. The creature's jaw dropped a lot.

"WHAT?! THAT'S CHEAP, YOU"

 _POOF!_

She explodes in puffs of smoke, as her small plant self flies away. Hun lands near Mirii's feet, returning into his humanoid form.

"Mirii!" His hands were on her shoulders. "I-I saw you"

She shakes her head, as her right forefinger points over the other creature: she was standing on the ground, while holding her right hip, as yelps were escaping from her gritted teeth. Mirii walks over the monster, in a fast walk. Her left hand picked another square-shaped item, as she throws it right on the fallen girl's legs.

 _PAMF!_

"ARGH! GO AWAY! GO AWAY!" Her right arm kept swinging from left to right, her hair grew a bit, standing upwards.

Mirii stops, standing some feet away from the girl.

"First, reveal your asocial plans." She folds her arms.

"SGRUNT!" She slams her right fist on the sidewalk. "Go hide into that small pond, dry Squid!"

A vein pops from Mirii's forehead, as her face frowns a bit.

"It seems you can't analyze such easy situation." Her head turns over Hun. "Your barbaric hair can't fool fighter specialists like us. Especially when you can't get up, from the ground."

"SHUT UP!" Her fists kept slamming on the floor. "Why are you talking with me like a total idiot?! Just make me explode already, so I can stay far away from your arrogance!"

Mirii growled, as smoke came out from her ears and multiple veins were popping out from her forehead.

"WHY YOU ATTACKED US, MORONIC BUFFOON?!" Her right foot stomps the floor. "AND MOSTLY, WHO ARE YOU?!"

Mirii was breathing loudly, as Hun was standing behind, as he trembles a lot and his teeth were chattering.

"Ihihih… hearing your cries is much better than making Squid rings out of you." Her head turns over Mirii, as she grins. "Come on now, go kick my butt like you retard Squids do!"

"S-stop… taunting…" Mirii was clenching her fists, as her arms were stretched downwards.

"Aaaawww, the little Squiddy doesn't want to ruin the pretty shoes!" Her head was tilting, as her voice changed into a higher pitch voice. "Otherwise her mom would slap her sorry butt."

"Grrrrr…!" Mirii's hands were pulling her tentacles, as her eyes were squeezed. "Says the weak, pathetic, narrow-minded, ignorant mass of dirty hair, incapable of raising from a floor as mindless as her inferior brain!"

"GRRRRAAAAAAUUUUUUHHH!" The girl's fists kept slamming on the sidewalk, even her long hair. "YOU BETTER FLY FROM MILES AWAY, BEFORE THE OTHERS ARE GOING TO TURN YOU INTO SQUID STEW!"

"The others?" Mirii looks left and right.

Her sight tracked a large cloud of dust coming from down the street. Her irises shrunk, as she slowly moves backwards.

"Hunley… we must dare to run as fast as our perfect legs can!" She turns behind.

Aside from Hun, her eyes also saw the mall's entrance.

"Follow me: I know the perfect route!" Mirii sprints over the mall.

Hun followed the girl, standing right behind her. The two Inklings rushed past the left automatic door, as their feet were stepping the soft dark green carpet.


	23. Chapter 22 - Power Health

**Write down some reviews, if you liked the story so far!**

* * *

"Why are we running here, Mirii?" Hun passes around a female Inkling, as his head was still pointed over Mirii.

"Because inside this mall, we encountered a horrible storm of sugar, which brought us into that wasteland of existence." Mirii jumped, going zigzag between standing still people.

"A storm?! But…" Hun's head looks over the ceiling. "I don't see any"

 _THUMP!_

The boy fell on his back, sliding a bit on the clear floor. His head was stumbling, as his eyelids were lowered. In front of him, the back of an Inkling woman with her left feet above the floor. Mirii stops near him, as her right clean hand stands in front of his face.

"COME ON, HUNLEY!" Her eyebrows were rose, as her irises were looking the boy and behind repeatedly. "I CAN HEAR THEIR FAST STEPS!"

"Uuuuuhhh…" Jerkily, he moves his right hand over Mirii's.

He grabs her hand, as his left hand rests on the floor and pushes himself upwards. Mirii pulls him a bit, then she pats and slides her right hand on the back of his shirt, as faintly visible puffs of dust jumped out, gliding towards the floor.

"Don't let such silly mistake ruin your majestic brain!" The girl grasps Hun's left hand, as she starts rushing past Inklings of different height. "We must keep running, like true professionals!"

"Wait…!" Hun shook his head quickly, blinking his eyes multiple times. "But where are we running, Mirii?" The boy looks around. "I don't see anything resembling sugar!"

"The requirements dictate our presence, right near the Squidsmas tree." Her eyes were seeing a decorated tree, as the tip was almost reaching the ceiling. "That's where we are going to find the dreadful storm!"

Her left feet slides on the clear floor, leaving out a high-pitched screeching sound. Hun bends forward a lot, then his back returns into a straight position. Mirii leaves his left hand, as her legs were moving closer to the tree. Her eyes kept seeing the ceiling, which had many lights spread around.

"Now… I know that soon enough, flakes of sugar are going to touch our skin." She lowers her head, now seeing multiple presents.

A lid was lying next to a box, as small pieces of holiday wrapping paper were scattered around. A tag was semi-covered by a larger piece of paper. The girl walks over the tag, bending down and picking it up with her left fingers.

"To Grina and Bars? What…?" Her eyes fell immediately on the box.

She walks closer, leaning her head over the top of the box. She only sees the intern of such item.

"Uhm…" Mirii retreats her back, standing still, as her head was pointed over the box. "It's not that hard to imagine, who was the childish responsible for those pieces of paper on the floor…" She sighs loudly.

A flake of sugar touched the tip of her nose: she smiles, as her nose wiggled a bit and the flake resumes its fall.

"Very well." She was turning. "We made it just in"

Her eyes were seeing adult Inklings and two Inkling children, both standing on one leg. Mirii gasps, as her head twisted left and right.

"NO, HUNLEY!" She walks in a direction, then stops.

Her head kept moving quickly: she tracked people, flakes of sugar landing over a carpet of them and decorations hanging on shelves and edges. Mirii lies both her hands sideways, near her mouth's sides.

"Huuunnlleeeey!" Her voice was echoing throughout the area.

The wind was pushing her tentacles, bringing more sugar from above: most of them were resting on the girl's Bobble Hat, as her mouth sunk inside her jacket while the eyes were closed.

" _This cold sugar… the never-ending vision of snow… the initial sinking feeling… I may remember this event, like I was actually living through such frustration… but at the same time, it seems that I'm finding myself in some strange, wild imagination._ "

The pile of sugar already reached her knees. The girl pushes away the sugar from her tentacles, as her mouth was sealed and her left cheek was twitching.

" _I wish I could walk away from this eternal odyssey… but those monsters are right behind us._ "

The storm kept bringing even more flakes of sugar: their pile reached Mirii's chest. Her irises could see nothing but fog. Her eyebrows rose, as her eyes closed.

" _Maybe I shouldn't came here… after all, I don't even know why this mysterious effect even exists. I-I was too hasty… not staying with Hunley is a consequence created by my temporary lack of focus. Now, all I can do is to believe in my own conclusion…_ "

Mirii rose her head, with her eyes still closed: she swallowed silently. All the sudden, no more wind was pushing any flakes: from the girl's nose, puffs of white smoke came out.

" _I can't hear the wind…_ " She opens her eyes. " _This can only mean one thing… I'm now inside this nameless forest._ "

Her hands were touching the snow, as her arms were bending a lot. She pushed, snorting loudly and doing a grimace. Slowly, the girl's entire body came out, as well as her own slim legs. Mirii took two long breathes, as she stood upwards and turns around.

"HUNLEY!" She frowns, as her fists were clenching.

Her body was starting to shake.

"HUNLEY! WHERE ARE YOU?!" She turns around, multiple times.

On the snow, a small tip of a black item was sticking out.

" _Hmm? What a curious object… could it be an ordinary rock or something else…?_ "

Mirii walks over it: bending downwards, her left hand grasps the item, as she pulls it out from the snow. Bringing the object closer to her eyes, the girl's irises stood on the item for some seconds. Her eyebrows rose into neutral position.

" _Hmm… vague traces of white… some cracks… is this **coal**?_ "

Suddenly, her eyes expanded.

" _Coal?! Here?! Wait a minute… am I in a different location this time?!_ "

Her eyes kept seeing fog… as well as vague traces of coal standing on the snow.

" _Th-this must be a stupid joke!_ " She bites her lips, raising even more her eyebrows. " _Why I'm seeing nasty coals all around me?! What's the meaning of such interrogative event?!_ "

She frowns, as her left arm bends backwards… and throws the coal away, as the item disappears inside the fog.

"OW!"

The girl jumped a bit, as her eyes kept seeing the source of the voice.

" _That voice… could it be?!_ " She began sprinting, as remains of snow on her pants fell off. "HUNLEY! HUNLEY!"

Her eyes soon caught the figure of a sitting Inkling: a smile grew rapidly over her face. Her legs slowed down into a normal walk. Mirii was getting closer over Hun, as his head was slowly spinning around: a small bump was standing on the top of his head, as a small piece of coal was resting on the boy's right side. Mirii lies her hands over her mouth, as her irises shrunk.

"N-no… what my impudence have done to you?!" The girl walks towards Hun, as she bends down and her hands fell around the bump.

Her thumb was as large as the injury, which was colored in a bright red. Her eyes were getting blue, as her heart felt immersed into a quicksand, yelling and feeling a burning sensation. Her stomach was flipping upside down, as a huge sense of regurgitation was invading her sense of taste.

Standing upwards, the girl unzips her jacket as her right hand sunk inside its left side. Pulling out in an agile hand-movement, a large medical patch in a square shape, in a clear color. After pulling out a white, thinner paper from under the patch, Mirii carefully sticks the patch on the bump with both her hands.

"Don't worry, Hunley… this medical patch was promoted by the rules of perfect medication." She smiles, as her right hand sunk again, inside her jacket. "You'll not feel the presence of such error on your head. However…"

She pulls out a small, clear bottle containing a bluish liquid. The girl shook the bottle for three seconds, then she took out the plastic, clear cork with her left hand: gently, she carries the bottle over the boy's mouth.

"I need your clever assistance: your mouth must gulp down this substance, which will grant instant medical support for your body." Her right hand rests under his chin, lifting his head a tiny bit.

Hun nods once, as he closes his eyes and opened his mouth less than an inch. The girl poured the liquid inside his mouth: he spits the liquid, hitting Mirii's face.

"Yuck!" He stands up, sticking out his tongue which a large, oval spot was vaguely colored in blue. "Wh-what's up with that thing?! Is that a mix of garlic, wood and plastic?!"

Gradually, the girl's face frowns a lot: the liquid completely dissolved into white puffs of cloud.

"How dare you spitting out this nutritional miracle…?" Smoke came out from her ears, as she stands up. "AND CALL WRONGFUL INGREDIENTS?!"

"N-no, wait!" He moves his hands back and forth, as his eyebrows were rose. "I-I didn't really mean"

"DON'T YOU DARE TO COVER MY EARS WITH EVEN MORE WRONGFUL STATEMENTS!" Her left forefinger points the boy, as her eyes were getting watery. "I spent nights in front of my laptop, in order to search for the perfect healthy solution! The ingredients used are considered a top rank choice from my vast knowledge!"

She jerkily lowers head, while her teeth were gritted. Two hands lands on her shoulders: the girl turns violently behind.

"Don't touch me, ingrate…" She sniffs loudly, frowning even more.

"Let me drink that, please…" A sob left his mouth, as his eyes were red.

Mirii rose her head, seeing fog and chunks of coal on the snow. Vaguely, some trees were appearing from a distance.

"Why you want to drink my disgusting mix of garlic, wood and plastic…?"

"NO! That's not disgusting! It was just a stupid mistake from my part! The same one I did, when I was a kid…" He shakes his head, frowning a bit. "One time I had to drink my mom's orange juice… it felt so acid that I kept hiding under the bed, hoping that my dad would drink that! One day though… while I was running back in my room, my sister came in and said that mom was crying on the rocking chair! I-I dashed to her… and she was sobbing, feeling sorry for making me drink something so nasty. I-I saw that glass of orange juice… I took it and drink fully, without even catching a breath! From that day, I promised that whenever mom made me orange juice… I'd drink it! Since then, I kept drinking her orange juices… and suddenly, I was so addicted to them that I'm the one asking for mom to make one for me!"

The boy took some breath. Mirii left her mouth open, as her eyes retreated inside.

"Mirii… I-I'm deeply sorry for spitting on your face! I-I wish to come back in time, trying to stop me from doing that offense!" His eyes were blue, his teeth were gritting, his fists were clenching.

The girl rose her left hand, seeing the bottle.

"… Hunley… do you really want to drink this liquid…?" She whispered.

"Yes!" A tear slides down from his right cheek. "I-I can't wait to drink that incredible beverage!"

Mirii smiles, as she slowly turns around, leaving the bottle over Hun's right hand. He took a look at the bottle, swallowing silently. Closing his eyes, he quickly moves the bottle over his mouth, drinking all the liquid.

"Aaaaah!" He sighed loudly, doing a grimace and a waving smile. He raises his left thumb. "It was very good! I-I could take another one…!"

The girl giggles, as her right hand took her left elbow.

"No Hunley, there is no need for another portion." Her smile grew. "That quantity is already working hard throughout your veins… soon enough, you'll drench in energy."

His chest rose.

"I could already harvest up some fields, for an entire day!"

Her eyes kept seeing his… until her irises moved down-right. Her eyebrows rose.

"Hunley…" She sighs. "Actually… I… I knew that the liquid had a rather…" She swallows silently. "… disgusting taste."

"Huh?! Wh-why are you"

"No, Hunley." She shook her head, as her right hand took her right tentacle, stroking it. "I used the liquid, which I called **Power Health** , whenever I was alone in the field… many times I wanted to spit it out. Usually I immediately drank some Inkling water to wash out my mouth… th-this time I don't have a bottle of Inkling water with me." Her hands were on her chest, clasped together.

The boy chuckles, while shaking his head.

"This taste is kinda sending me even more energy! I'll drink when I feel thirsty!"

"Are you sure…?" Her eyebrows rose, lifting her clasped hands. "I-I don't want that"

"Mirii, it's fine… really." He walks closer to the girl. "You already did so much for me…"

His right eye winks. Mirii blushes a lot. Her eyes fell over his arms: the sleeves were pulled upwards. Her fingers had a tickling sensation. Blushing even more, her hands fell over each sleeve, pulling them downwards.

"It's getting cold, Hunley… you should not underestimate such tremendous temperature." While breathing, small clouds were coming out from her mouth.

The boy blushes, as the girl knees down to pull even the sleeves from his pants.

"Ehm… Hunley…" She squeezes her eyes, while standing up. "I-I would like to apologize for my erroneous use of my voice's volume…"

"Huh?" He tilts his head to his left.

"I-I mean!" She opens her eyes, as her head lowers a bit and her hands were behind her back. "I rose my voice like a complete fool…"

"No, th-there is no need for"

"I believe in such mistake!" She rose her head. "No matter what mockery my identity receives… no emotions should flow through my perfect reasoning. Ever."

"Mirii…" He sighs, as he lowers his head.

The girl looks around for a moment, then she forms a smile.

"Now…"

Hun rose his head, looking toward her eyes. Mirii walks over him, blushing a bit.

"How are you, Hunley? Do you feel positively fresh…?" Her hands were clasped downwards.

He nods, smiling.

"You?"

She nods.

"Then… where are we?" The boy looks around.

"It's a forest." The girl looks down, seeing a piece of coal. "The fog will eventually disappear from our very eyes… although, I'm seeing coal around the snow."

"What about it?" He folds his arms.

"Last time, there wasn't any coal around the snow." Her head tilts upwards, as her eyes were pointed over the boy. "This could mean that our location may not be the same as last time…"

Hun closes his eyes.

"I can't remember anything about this, Mirii… but I never saw coal scattered around the ground." His mouth downturns and his eyebrows rose, while his eyes opened. "I-I don't know about this… maybe we should go back?"

"I don't think we can." Mirii looks behind, seeing other trees, bushes with snow on the top and more pieces of coal. "This surreal situation can't be solved by just using logic… we also need more knowledge." She returns ahead. "Hunley, our first task is to find Artacunia." Her head slightly rose.

"Artacunia?" He scratches the back of his head.

"Correct. Since the fog is almost gone, we must proceed through this forest." She starts walking, passing the boy.

Hun walks, reaching Mirii's right.

"And this Artacunia place is… this way?" He looks ahead, seeing a group of trees with the leafs covered in snow.

"Only the future will know." She closes her eyes for a moment. "For now, we must keep our sight at full level… who knows what the forest is reserving during our journey."

The boy swallows a bit. The girl trembles slightly, while her eyes kept seeing the coal on the snowy carpet.


	24. Chapter 23 - Coal

**Well, if you are liking this story so far, please send in a review about it!**

* * *

A dark-blue boot gently stomped over the light snow. Mirii's hands were clasped, in front of her mouth, as her breath caressed them. Her body stood still, as only her legs were moving. Her jacket was zipped all the way up, while her Bobble Hat covered completely her forehead, almost reaching her eyes.

Her tentacles' tips had a faint strait of ice. She grasps her arms, trembling a lot. Hun turns his head over the girl, as his eyes rest on her arms and her own eyes which had a blue tone. Her mouth was semi-open, as her gritted teeth were semi-cloaked inside the darkness.

Mirii blinked two times, sealing her mouth for a moment.

"Something inaccurate, Hunley?" Her hands fell down over her hips.

"Uhm… well… would you like to have a break?" He smiles a bit. "We could have a nice conversation, while our legs recover from all that hard work."

Mirii kept looking the boy, as her left foot kicked a coal which rolled on the left.

"Your idea is making my legs breath some fresh air." She smiles. "Unfortunately, the situation forces us to keep our eyes open and our mouth close, no matter how high our voices raise." She shook her head, as her mouth assumed a straight line.

Her hands grasp her arms again, trembling a little.

"This forest may contain dangerous animals, which stomach would command to utilize any means of attack in order to catch their prey." Her right hand pulls her hat a little upwards.

The boy swallowed, trembling even more than before. His head looks around, seeing trees, bushes and coal. A bunnyfish hopped up and down, wiggling the fin-like tail. The animal took a quick look over the Inkling, standing up on the two paws.

"Mirii…" He looks over the girl, as he rubs his hands. "What kind of dangerous animal we could find around the silent tree?"

"Hmm…" Her right forefinger rests over her right cheek. Her irises shot up, staring at the leaves on a dark-brown branch, then ahead. "My memory is making me see blurry images of a seabear chasing after us. Me and you were running, with the performance of a top senior athlete."

"Really?" He rubs his chin, lowering his head and staring at the snow with some occasional pieces of coal. "Why I can't remember anything like that…?"

"Hunley, you should not punish your mind for not accomplishing this task, which no machine or living being could understand its reasoning." Her head rose a bit, as her hands were clasped together, over her legs. "Besides, the numerous presence of coal is fueling even more the mysterious phenomenon, which our very eyes of pure sharpness are witnessing."

The boy shakes his head, passing above another piece of coal.

"All this coal is making me curious and worried at the same time." His hands fell inside his pockets.

A small, brown seasquirrel passed the two Inklings, jumping over a tree and climbing it. As the girl's mouth caught out more puffs of white cloud, her eyes tracked something black behind three trees and a bush. Some acorns were scattered around the trees, with a small mix of coal.

"Hunley, I would like to change our direction and glance over there." Her right forefinger pointed in said direction, as her arm was trembling and her legs stop moving. "However, let me proceed ahead, while you stand right behind me."

"Huh?!" He expands his eyes. "No! I want to stay ahead!" The boy increased the pace, frowning a bit and clenching his fists.

"No, Hunley!" Her eyebrows rose, her mouth formed a downturned shape, her legs were sprinting. "The temperature could freeze your ink and yourself at the same time!"

He shakes his head, as from the left corner of his left eye, he glances Mirii's right tentacle swinging back and forth.

"Mirii, I'm going to spit over myself if anyone touches your tentacles!" He closes his eyes, shaking his head rapidly for a moment.

The Inklings stop, standing some feet away from a large piece of coal, colored in the same manner as the void. A black liquid flows from above it, slowly descending on the faintly brown ground. The frost, over the tips of Mirii's tentacles, was gradually melting.

"Wh-what in the world is…" Mirii steps forward.

A left hand grabs her right shoulder, as her head turns right over the boy. His eyebrows rose, as his hand was gently pulling the girl.

"Hunley, let me go right in this instant." Her shoulders were moving.

"Why you care so much about that nasty thing?!" He walks in front of Mirii, as his other hand falls over her free shoulder. "Please Mirii, rethink about your decision… th-this spells bad news all over the place."

"Bad news is when our minds are floating on a sea of ignorance, as the smarter predators already got their teeth on us, before we could even utilize the basics of logic." Her eyelids lowered, her head leans forward, tilted upwards. "Now, walk aside and watch how perfectly I'll fit the puzzle pieces of pure reasoning."

Her right hand rests over Hun's right arm. She smiles faintly, nodding once. The boy kept looking through her eyes, then he lowers his head, sighing loudly. His hands retreat and slowly, his feet moved over the girl's right. Her smile grew a bit.

"Thank you for the cooperation, Hunley." She walks closer to the large coal.

Her eyes were pointing over the tip of the rock, as white smoke gradually rose and dissolved in thin air. A vague whistling sound was heard in less than a second. The liquid appeared consistent, some of it even standing on some lonely sides of the coal.

Her right hand grabbed the zip, holding it with her fingers. Her back leans forward, as her nose took two delicate sniffs: the nose rose, as the girl grimaces. It felt like a burned pneumatic. Mirii pulls the zip downwards, as her left hand dived inside its right side.

She pulls out a small, metallic box, as one lock of shining metal was standing on the edge. Her right forefinger pushes it up.

 _Tick_.

The lid rose, showing walls almost resembling mirrors. Carefully, her right hand brought the box over a descending liquid, which falls inside. In a second, Mirii pulls back the box as her right thumb pushed the lid and her left fingers pushed the lock down.

The boy swallowed loudly, as his hands kept twitching and his eyebrows were almost over his forehead. His right feet kept forming a circle over the snow. The girl turned, as her eyes immediately lie over Hun's. Her heart skipped a beat, as her eyes were now getting wider. Her feet walked over the boy, while her tentacles kept swinging backwards.

"Hunley, a person of such caliber shouldn't make those facial expressions." Her head tilted upwards a bit, as her eyebrows kept twitching and her hands were holding the box tightly. "But I'm sure you were running a very interesting test to judge my self-control skills, in the moment."

"Huh?" His head shook quickly, as his eyelids and eyebrows lowered. "Mirii, I'm not testing you in any way. Why are you saying that…?"

"Impressive!" The girl smiles, as her hand sunk inside her pants' left pocket. "Your acting ability is beyond any legend of the classic theatre." She pulls out her smartphone. "I'm sure you'll confirm that my superb control will knock over everything who dares to make my concentration trip over."

Her thumb kept pressing the screen, reaching a screen with the word "Ink Science", in front of a female Inkling wearing round, black glasses and holding two test tubes: the left one is colored in orange and the right one is colored in blue.

"Bu-but I'm not acting, neither testing!" He opens his arms, almost hitting Mirii's right tentacle. "I just don't understand where are you getting"

"Now, Hunley…" Her eyes were over the screen, as her right thumb presses over square figures. "I would like to see your mind getting increasingly interested over the magnificent progress, that science made since the beginning of the Inknet."

Her right hand moves the smartphone above the box, held with her left hand, with a camera watching its lid. The boy's eyes were over the girl, then on the smartphone and the box.

 _Research complete._

"Whoa!" He jumps, almost falling on his back. "Did that female voice came out of that flat thing you are holding?!"

"Correct." Her eyes were on the screen. "Your reflexes were excellent as always, Hunley. When we triumphantly return over Inkopolis, you must help me improve my already perfected reaction time skills."

"Ehm…" He shrugs, while opening his arms. "I don't even know how to teach someone…"

"Of course you know perfectly." Her right thumb slides over the screen. "Now, according to the application… as a preliminary result, the liquid contained inside this box seems to possess nutritious qualities such as sugar."

"So… you could eat this thing safely?" He swallows loudly, as he rubs his hands and raises his eyebrows.

"Not necessarily." She sighs, as she lowers her smartphone and looks directly over the boy's eyes. "I could list the other proprieties, but since time is crucial for our situation… I'll reassume my findings: the coal we just encountered is original. However, my suspects all fall inside the rock which may contain a sugary substance and the possible reason why this hot liquid even came into existence."

Hun took his chin, as his right foot taps the snow and his left fist stood on his left hip. His eyes were seeing the liquid falling from the coal and landing on the ground.

"Well, at least it's not reaching us!" He chuckles, while closing his eyes.

The smartphone's screen becomes black, as the girl puts it back inside her pocket. Her left hand puts the box inside the jacket's right side, as her right hand pulls the jacket's zip all the way up.

"But then, an obvious question would merge from such precise logic…" Mirii bends down, picking a piece of coal on the snow, then standing upwards. "… do those pieces of coal contain the same materials?"

"Ehm…" His mouth downturned, his eyebrows skyrocket over his forehead. "Mirii, what do you have in mind?"

"A task for later." Mirii opens her jacket's right pocket, letting the coal fall inside it. "Now, we must continue our perfect journey to reach Artacunia, before the Sun"

Suddenly, her irises shrunk and her ears rose. Her mouth was sealed, as the girl stood completely still. Hun expands his eyes, while trembling. His teeth were chattering.

"Mi-Mirii… something wrong?!" He jerkily moves closer to the girl.

"… Hunley…" She whispers. "… let's walk back… immediately…"

"Wh-why?" He swallows silently, as his eyes were blue.

"Just walk back…" Slowly, Mirii walks past the boy.

 _ROAR!_

The two Inklings jumped, as the girl turns her back with her jaw dropped and her mouth downturned. Standing right near the large coal, a black-furred seabear… with the irises red. On the back, multiple pieces of coal forming small mountains, as smoke came out from each of them.

The animal was frowning a lot, showing the fangs.

"NO!" Mirii turns behind, with her legs sprinting rapidly.

Hun reached her right side, as the creature runs with all fours, roaring and growling.

"THAT SEABEAR MUST HAVE HEARD OUR VOICES FROM AFAR!" Her head rose, as her teeth were gritting.

"Pant, pant, LET ME FIGHT THAT ANIMAL, MIRII!" He kicked a piece of coal, as it rolls over the right.

"KEEP BREATHING AND RUNNING, HUNLEY!" The girl was breathing loudly, as she turns over the left, running on a narrow, snowy road. "OUR SPEED AND AGILITY ARE GOING TO PROVE THEIR SUPERIORITY OVER THE SEABEAR'S CLUMSINESS!"

The boy turns his back behind: the seabear's right shoulder impacted over a tree, which bended 45 degree. The animal kept sprinting, roaring and growling loudly. Hun returns ahead, gritting his teeth and accelerating even more.


	25. Chapter 24 - Return to the past

**Alright, if you liked this story so far, please send in a review!**

* * *

The seabear let out a roar, lasting for 2 seconds and echoing throughout the forest. Mirii's back trembled, as her eyes kept bouncing left and right, turning around the trees. Her throat was on fire, as a loud cough left from her mouth. Hun was sweating, as his sleeves were pulled upwards.

Her legs felt like staying on a burning grid for many hours… her eyebrows were up, her mouth was wide open, as her fangs were exposed on the cold air and her eyelids were slightly down. Her stomach was regurgitating itself.

" _Argh… I-I can't run for another minute… I-I need assistance… … Hunley…_ " Her head slowly turns over the boy. "HUNLEY!"

He twisted his head, as his eyes were expanded and his irises were shrunk. The girl's legs were gradually bending, as her paces were getting slower… she tilted her head upwards, as her eyes closed. Hun jumped behind her back, instantly grabbing her legs with his left hand and grabbing her back with his right hand.

Mirii kept breathing, still with her eyes closed. Her arms were swinging as much as her tentacles. Her back and knees were getting somewhat warmer. The seabear roared, almost breaking her eardrums: the girl snorted.

Gritting his teeth, Hun dashed between the trees, as he jumps over a large piece of coal, he lowers his back passing a branch from below and turning over his left, almost impacting over a large stone wall with crackles spread around.

 _THUMP!_

Chunks of stone fell down, as the seabear slowly resume the run, snorting puffs of smoke from the nose. The boy turned over the right, getting behind trees. The animal rushed in that direction… seeing only a seadeer with the open teeth moving over a bit of grass sticking out from the snow: the seadeer quickly turns the head over the seabear, then kept jumping away around the trees.

The creature looks around, growling. The paws moved forward, this time in a normal pace. As the seabear walked past the trees, Hun's head emerges from a bush: his eyes kept moving, seeing trees, bushes, coal, a seabird chirping on the snow.

He let out a loud sigh, closing his eyes, slowly sinking back inside the bush. On his left, Mirii was staying down, with the stomach looking upwards. Her hands were on it, shrinking and growing.

"Is the seabear away… Hunley…?" She whispers, as her eyelids rose a tiny bit.

"Yes." He nods, smiling a bit. "But tell me, how are you?"

The girl kept breathing gently.

"So-so… a rest is still required."

Her head felt spinning, as the thinking activity was making Mirii scream mentally. Hun 's smile disappeared, making place for a downturned, open mouth. His heart was beating faster, as his right arm drenched his forehead.

"Do you have that tasty thing, which you gave to me earlier?" His right hand fell on her forehead.

Mirii blushes, smiling a bit.

"Hunley, the Power Health is utilized only when the patient suffered injuries… my legs are overheated, as well as my lungs."

"Th-then… you are going to stand upwards very soon?" His smile grew instantly.

She slowly nods, smiling even more.

"I-I never ran this much for a very long time… thank you Hunley, for being as professional as you are always."

He nods, as his right hand caressed the girl's left cheek. Mirii blushes even more.

"Th-that seabear though…" Her eyebrows lowers down a little. "Something about that animal felt… highly inaccurate."

"How?" The boy left his mouth open.

"The coal on the back… did you notice it?"

Hun folds his arms, as his face looks upwards.

"You know… I don't think that"

"Of course you did." The girl smiles, as her back gradually rose.

"Huh?! Wh-why"

"I'm sure that the creature we escaped from, must be related to those pieces of coal we keep seeing in this forest." Her right forefinger taps her right cheek. "Although, how did the coal perfectly shaped that seabear? Do you have any idea on the matter, Hunley?"

"Well…" He scratches the back of his head. "I don't know, Mirii… and honestly, I don't even want to know about that." He shakes his head, as his eyebrows rose.

"Of course you want." She nods.

"What?!" Hun jumped, as his elbows were bended. "I-I"

"But such question is rather difficult to answer… not even our geniuses combined could figure out this very peculiar puzzle."

Mirii touches the snow with her hands, then she raises upwards, standing on her two legs.

"Hunley, it's time to leave our provisory refuge and proceed"

 _ROAR!_

The Inklings jumped, twisting their back: their eyes tracked down the seabear, standing near them. The left paw rose high in the air… then swings over them, showing the sharp claws.

 _ZACK!_

The claws penetrated through a tree, which it gradually bends over the ground… and falling towards it!

 _THHUUUUUMMMPPPP!_

Mirii and Hun sprinted out of the bush, as the seabear turned in their directions. With a loud roar, the animal runs after with all fours.

"MIRII! CAN YOU RUN?!" Hun's eyes were on the snowy road.

"DON'T QUESTION THAT!" The girl grits her teeth.

Her nose captured a scent. Instantly, blurry images of a frozen lake and distant, decorated houses appeared in her mind. Her head twisted over her right.

"THIS WAY, HUNLEY!" Her right forefinger pointed the direction, as she turns in a swing.

The boy turns to the right, standing right behind the girl. The seabear slides over the left, gradually moving over the Inklings' direction. The animal moves the legs even faster, dashing between the trees and seeing a flat terrain of snow. Passing other two trees, the creature instantly turns left and right seeing Mirii and Hun each with their back on a tree.

The seabear turns immediately: suddenly, the animal rolls down for a moment, bouncing on the snow, passing a fence and landing over the flat snow.

 _CRACK! SPLASH!_

Mirii and Hun looked each other: they rushed together, as their head spun towards the animal. Yelping, the creature slammed the front paws over the water's surface. The girl moves closer, as a frown gradually appears on her face.

The seabear's fur was stretching more and more… same for the nose, the small ears and even the whole head! The shape was changing into something similar to a large drop of liquid. Mirii rushed, seeing now a large black spot forming over the water, with small traces of a white material.

Her nose caught a strong, sweet smell… the girl bends down, sniffing silently over the large stain. She gasps, quickly standing upwards.

"Th-this is…" Her right hand stands in front of her mouth.

"What's going on, Mirii?!" Hun stops on her right.

"… Hunley… can you recognize this smell?" She clasps her hands, as her head turns over the boy.

He stood still for a moment, looking over Mirii's eyes. He bends down, with his nose over the stain, sniffing loudly…

"Huh?" He stands upwards, turning back towards the girl, with his right eyebrow down. "Is this… **sugar**?" He tilts his head to the right.

"Correct." She nods. "This creature didn't possess any of the seabear's clear traits, except for the appearance."

"Whoa!" His back tilted backwards, as his arms opened and his elbows bended. His eyebrows rose and his teeth gritted. "Wh-what kind of animal is this then?!"

Mirii shakes her head slowly.

"Interesting question as usual…" Her head rose. "But I think that at this point, such phenomenon demonstrates that the creature following us… may not be any living species you could encounter near any flora."

"What?!" His neck bended forward, as his whole body was shaking and his irises shrunk. "Bu-but that animal was chasing us… tried to cut us alive!"

"Hunley…" She folds her arms. "I'm sure you remember the scientific research I did right before we were forced to use our running limbs."

The boy nods. The girl smiles.

"This event proves that the coal mystery has yet to unveil itself upon us. From now on, absolute attention is a command we must not ignore."

"Pant…" Hun drenches his forehead, bending down a bit. "Maybe after taking a quick rest?" He grins, chuckling a little, as his right hand stands on the back of his head.

"Of course we can proceed right now, Hunley." She nods, with her eyes closed, her hands down and her smile brightening her face.

"Huh?!" His bended arms retread, as his jaw dropped. "Wait! I-I didn't"

"Now, please listen carefully." The girl turns behind. "The lake in front of us is guarded by Squids known as Guardians."

"Guardians…?" His head turns over the lake. "Under that snow?"

"Yes. We fell inside, long ago…" Her head rose, as her right hand took her right tentacle, stroking it gently.

"We did?!" He lets out a yell, walking away from the lake. "How we survived a water this cold?!"

"… good question." Mirii's head lowers down for a moment. "The exacts events are unavailable at the moment, but intellectual questions like this are a healthy challenge for our perfect brains."

"Except, I don't remember anything…" He lowers his head, with his eyebrows rose. "I-I would give away all my money, in order to memorize everything I want."

The wind blows out, moving the girl's tentacles a bit.

"Wise wish, Hunley. Keep seeking for perfection and soon your desire will become a reality." She returns, with her smile reaching her cheeks. "Even though, your mental progress is noticeably stepping over the high ranks of memorization skills."

The boy rose his head, smiling a bit.

"Thank you, Mirii." His right eye winks. "So… what were you saying before?"

"The Guardians." She rose her head a little. "Those harm whoever has mischievous intentions. However, the water near us is the real problem. Its proprieties corrupt any Inklings' mind."

"Really?" His head twists over the flat area. "Who could have thought that under the snow, exist such weird water?"

"It may be an element out of the ordinary…" Mirii turns behind. "… but it's not an obstacle we must overcome."

"No?" He walks over Mirii's right side.

"Our real task lies in front of our sharp eyes." The girl points her forefinger over a tall wall of snow.

"Huh… so you want to climb that wall?" He folds his arms, shivering a little.

"Correct." She nods. "In the past, we were forced to face the lake's dangers…" Mirii opens her jacket, as her right hand dived inside its left side, pulling over a long black rope. "But nowadays, we are allowed to use technology in aid for our hazardous goal."

There was a small, black button on the tip of the rope. The girl presses it with her right forefinger as four, curved arms emerged: the tips were sharp.

"Come, Hunley." She starts walking.

Hun begins to walk, standing on Mirii's left. He kept turning over the flat area, then seeing the houses illuminated with colorful lights. From a window, colored in a blurry light, a shadow figure stands right in the middle… then completely disappears.


	26. Chapter 25 - Avalanche

**Send in a review, if you are liking the story so far!**

* * *

The sky had a dark-orange tone, as some puffs of cloud were standing above the village. Mirii on the left and Hun on the right, the two Inklings were walking on the snow as their steps were sinking through the snow, leaving behind large holes.

The girl had her head turned down, biting her lips and seeing her pants' tips. She sighs, shaking her head and then looking forward, tracking a large boulder with a blanket of snow on the top.

"Maybe this solution needed a more careful analysis." Her eyebrows rose, as her nose wiggled and her hands grasps her arms, shivering a bit.

"Why?" The boy's head turns over the girl, as his eyebrows rose and his mouth downturned.

His right foot crushed a chunk of snow, followed by a loud noise.

"Well…" Her face turned to the left. "My calculations didn't predict the possibility of encountering tall snow."

"Tall snow?" His head tilted to the right, as he rubs his hands.

"Yes…" Her head returns over Hun, as her feet were delicately stomping the snow. "The pants I'm wearing are made with sophisticated materials, perfectly examined by my careful eyes." Her head lowers down. "Seeing such quality being treated like rubbish, is an offense towards any clothing masterpieces."

"Ah…" His eyes fell down, seeing the tips of her pants. He looks back to Mirii, smiling. "Then, pull those sleeves upwards."

Her eyes expanded, as she swallows the air with her mouth sealed.

"Wh-what kind of ridiculous idea did you" Suddenly, she leaves her mouth open and looks over her right.

The boy's arms were bended, his shoulders high, as the eyes were glued over the girl ones.

"Did your geniality cleverly came up with?" She smiles, nodding and closing her eyes. "This practical tactic could easily deteriorate the rather perplexing problem… although, the following information must be mentioned: pulling the sleeves may cause damage on the pants, which complicates the situation and new negative variables would raise."

"Ah… I-I didn't know that." He let his head fell a bit, as his legs were bending more at each step. "I'm so sorry for telling another stupid solution."

"What?!" She frowns a bit, as her head rose a little.

Hun jumped, bending forward, as his right hand immediately sunk inside the snow.

"Hunley, it's 100% impossible for you to even claim to have ever said anything falling inside the stupidity rank." Her hands clasped, as her irises were resting over his face and her legs were still. "The lowest level your brilliant mind reached, was the decent rank."

The boy quickly rose, as his opened arms kept moving around.

"Wait, what are you saying?! I-I'm sure that I did some errors in the past!" His eyebrows rose even more, his right hand threw out the remaining snow.

"No you didn't!" Mirii frowns even more, as she lowers her head. "Stop trying to underestimate your superior intelligence."

"Bu-but I don't even know many things!" He shakes his head, gritting his teeth and bending a bit forward.

"HUNLEY!" Her arms stretched, her fists were shaking, her fangs were showing up. "WOULD YOU STOP TREATING YOURSELF LIKE AN IDIOT?!"

Her voice echoed multiple times. A small noise was increasing its volume. Mirii's ears rose, as her posture stood still.

"… wh-what's this noise?" Hun turns behind from the left and then from the right. "Where it's coming from?"

"… curses." Her irises shrunk.

Suddenly, the snow moves to the left, pulling the Inklings' legs: Hun rolled backwards, Mirii fell over her back. Both screamed at the top of their lungs, as they immersed inside the sea of snow: the loud noise covered their voices and the huge quantity of snow formed a waterfall show, with wide dusts of snow around an increasing hill.

The last chunks of snow fell, letting the silence take its place. A bit of it was moving… as Mirii's head pops out! She shook her head, as pieces of snow fell around. Groaning and snorting, the girl pulls her arms as the hands stand on the snow and pulled, slowly, her whole body out.

Her hands kept shaking the snow off from her clothes and tentacles… then, her eyes kept bouncing all over the place. Snow and snow was the only thing present on the scenery, aside from the decorated houses on the left.

Her heart beats rapidly, as her knees were already down and her hands were throwing the snow behind.

"HUNLEY! HUNLEY!" Her breath was loud. "HUNLEY, WHERE ARE YOU?!"

The girl kept digging, sinking more throughout the hill. Her eyes were getting blue, tears were forming around the corners.

"HUNLEY, ANSWER ME RIGHT IN THIS INSTANT! LET ME SEE YOUR EXCELLENT HEALTH!"

A sob left her mouth, as her hands were getting red and darker. Her mouth was waving, some tears dropped down, coloring the snow…

"Hunley… Hunley, please…" Her eyes were slowly closing, as more tears were leaving them. She sniffs loudly.

Her eyes tracked down something green. She holds her breath, as her hands dug even faster: Hun's whole head emerged, as his eyes were closed. Digging even more, her hands caught his right arm, carefully raising it over the snow. After taking out the other arm, her hands sunk even more, grabbing his back and slowly pulling him out, as her feet kept sliding a bit on the snow.

"Ow…" He whispered, as his eyes slowly open.

"HUNLEY!" She smiles, wrapping her arms around him and letting her head rests on his right shoulder. "I-I KNEW THAT THIS LIGHT SNOW WASN'T CAPABLE OF HOLDING DOWN A WORLD-RECORD ATHLETE!"

"Uuuuugh, Mirii…" He breathes slowly, as he grits his teeth.

Mirii immediately rose, seeing grimaces over Hun's face.

"Drat! Th-that inopportune avalanche…" Her right fang bites her lips' right side a little.

She opens her jacket, as her right hand sunk inside its left side, pulling out a clear bottle. She shakes the bottle, pulls out the cork and moves it closer to Hun's mouth.

"Please, open your mouth." Her right hand stands under his chin. "You must drink a dose of Power Health."

Hun nods slowly, opening his mouth. Mirii pours the liquid inside his mouth, as the boy kept gulping it. His eyes were squeezing, a snort almost escaped his mouth. The girl smiles, as she retreats the now empty bottle.

He sticks his tongue out a bit, then retreating it inside.

"Very tasty, Mirii…" He opens his eyes, smiling a bit. "I-I kinda feel better already…"

Mirii bends on her knees, as her hands stand on her legs. Her tentacles shivering, as their tips touched the snow.

"Are your limbs perfectly functional?" Her posture stood straight up.

"Uhm…" He closes his eyes. "So-so… but I think I can make it." His back rose.

Mirii's left hand stood over his body, as her left arm bends a bit and her eyebrows rose.

"Hunley, even the most ingenious medical tools need the aid of the time, in order to complete their wonderful work."

His head kept staring over her… then, his back fell down as a hole formed under him. Mirii's right fingers got near her lips, as her eyebrows rose even more.

"Careful, Hunley…! Bursts of movement are not advisable." She shakes her head, as her right hand returns over her right leg.

"Sorry…" He sighs quickly.

The girl shivers. Hun downturns his mouth.

"Mirii…"

"Yes, Hunley?" Mirii pushes her legs, gently, bending an inch forward.

"Ehm… would you like if…" His cheeks blushed a lot. "… if we warm up ourselves with… a hug?"

Mirii blushes a lot, as her mouth was wide open.

"A hug?!" Her hands were grasping her legs, tightly. "That… th-that's…"

"Stupid, I know…" Sighing loudly, the boy lowers his head, as his eyebrows rose. "I-I can't stand watching you suffering the cold like"

"Hunley, no!" The girl frowns a little.

Hun rose his head over the girl, as his eyebrows lowered a bit.

"Wh-why you keep claiming such untrue statements?!" She snorts silently. "Your idea…" She lowers her head, as her eyes looked left. "Well, your idea..." She closes her mouth. "… should be recorded with a professional microphone." She whispers, as her blush was dominating her face.

"Huh?" He slightly shook his head, almost squeezing his eyes.

"I-I mean!" Her head twists towards him, tilting it upwards. "Your idea is not only above the A+, but it's absolutely possible to realize!"

Her hands clasped tightly, as her head lowers.

"If you want…" She whispers.

The boy looks through her eyes… then nodding with a smile. The girl smiles too, as gently she stands down on her right hip. Carefully, her arms wrapped around his shoulders. His arms went behind her back, as they slowly pull Mirii over him.

The Inklings were blushing a lot. Their nose were almost touching. Their smiles were reaching their cheeks. Mirii curled up a little, as her knees were touching his legs.

"Hunley…" Her eyes were slowly sparkling. "... are you noticing that the air doesn't possess any below zero proprieties?"

His right hand stood over her left tentacle, stroking it a little.

"I don't know what you mean with below zero… but this air is reminding me those summer days I had at the farms."

"Really?" Mirii blushes even more, as her head sunk closer to his. "Oh, Hunley… my mind can't wait to memorize every single word, your mouth is going to use for describing your farming tasks…"

The boy smiles, stroking her left tentacle once more. Faint noises were increasing in volume, as the Inklings' ears rose. They stood still, without moving a single finger: immediately, they rose their backs. Twisting behind, their eyes were seeing an old Inkling man wearing very faintly yellow, thick gloves.

His right hand was holding a walking stick and his left hand fell over his back. Mirii and Hun look at each other, both having their mouths open. They stand up on their legs.

"You two." His voice was deep and rusty. "Follow me without questions."

"What?!" Mirii tilts backwards a bit, frowning. "Questions are required, sir!"

"Tsk." The old man shakes his head. "There is no time to ask any of them, young lady." He slowly turns behind. "They are already here… they are going to attack us in any seconds."

The two Inklings look at each other: Hun rose his eyebrows, swallowing silently.


	27. Chapter 26 - Master

**For this chapter, I tried out some new writing style! If you liked it, please write so in the review!**

* * *

Mirii turns over the old man, frowning a lot. She clenches her fists, stretches downwards her arms and moved her left leg ahead: her eyes were lit and flashing.

"WE ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE, SIR!"

A silent breeze caressed her tentacles, playing a bit with them. The old man's legs were still, showing their lucid skin, almost shining despite the incoming of the darkness. He turns behind, beating up the snow with precise strokes from his walking stick.

Her eyes were seeing his popped out eyes, with the eyelids a bit down. The face was full of wrinkles, his back was bended a little, his legs were bended.

"Mister, your orders are not imperative." She rose her head a bit, while folding her arms. "Without any valid reasons, your words are as null as your claims."

"Hmpf!" He sniffs loudly. "Impudence like that is a dishonor over any elders." His eyebrows launched themselves downwards, as the eyes were getting darker.

The snow crumbles into a messy noise, whenever that stick hits it down. The man didn't even look down there, as the eyes were trying to crush the girl instead. Mirii snorted, as her right foot couldn't stop clapping and her forehead was forming small hills. Hun scratched the back of his head, which the girl could guess by just its sound.

"Impudence doesn't manifest over pure perfect"

A loud explosion of snow, jumped as high as Mirii's legs. On her right calf in particular, thin fingers were around it: those had a high and consistent dark color, with a fragrance reminding a bit of wood and a bit of oil.

The girl's mouth couldn't open more, as her throat was throwing out a scream which made Hun's skin even paler. The boy was juggling with the air, as his feet skipped from out of the snow. The eyes blinked, now that leg is sinking and the hand was getting back from the hole it came, almost in slow-motion.

"HUNLEY, HELP!" Mirii cried out, as another hand came in a boom, grabbing the next leg and copying the same style.

His eyebrows got it down and the mouth jammed up some fangs. Faster than an ink projectile, Hun jumped as the snow flattens even more: the foot kicked and signed a sound right after. The sinking hand opens its grasp, whirling down into the hole.

The second kick came in a second, which sign had also some crushing. A swoop down and the other leg had only purple finger-traces, which its right counterpart won with only a darker tone. A frown on Mirii's face kept down Hun's eyebrows.

Her walk was waving up and down, with her teeth pushing more whenever her feet sunk and her balance was dancing. Her knees skyrocket above her head and her back reached the same height, thanks to Hun's hands.

"Hope you don't mind…" Smiling increasingly incoming, right wink off the bat.

The girl didn't thought about her open mouth. Closing it without leaving any traces, she formed a line-perfect smile and moved in gentle strokes, which male's hands got warmer. The snow knocked around, with now a dark head made of flesh…? It does have tentacles tied in a wire made with… bronze?

By the time Hun turned behind, the two Inklings were already near the man's cane, now standing on its tip. Growls were coming from under a small collection of rocks, appearing in shape-like teeth. First hand got up from the right, second hand from the left. The snow already slides down, while the arms used their leverage in a full stretch.

Raising in trembling noises, a body of an even darker color than the head. Up goes a foot, down it sinks in the snow. Pushing the back one, two, three times… the arms moved in a twisty bending, getting the hands on that other limb still immersed in frozen bubbles.

PAF! That leg almost took a fly for the clouds.

"Wh-who's that fiendish creature?!" Mirii untwists her neck, with the eyes down on one of his many wrinkles.

"The valid reason." A cough from the inside.

"Nnngghh!" Her right fang got it over her lips, her eyebrows moved as far away from the eyes as possible. "Th-that answer isn't suitable to satisfy my request of information."

"For now, it will…" The left hand turns upside-down. "Please, look at this."

Coming from the palm, an increasingly ball of drenching ink, matching the same color as the man's skin. The young Inklings' eyes were as large as a crystal sphere. The hand bounces the ink ball, as his right eye squeezes between eyebrow and cheek.

The Inkling-looking monster growled at the top of the lungs. Arms stretched with hands and twitching fingers in the front. The feet moved in molasses physics, almost impacting on the snow like the creature was walking on futon.

Left arm bends the elbow, in a robotic action. Left shoulder was moving backwards, along with the back. The trembling hand squeezes the ball: ink drops fell in like orange juice. Arm springs in a stretch, hand wide open with dropping ink meeting the snow below.

 _PAM!_

The head launches away with the ink ball, rolling down the hill and stopping with a grunt: the top was immersed in the snow. The remaining body parts turned with steps stomping the ground and hands moving the air. Mirii with the hands on her mouth, gasping inside her throat.

"No, that's ridiculous!" Frown on her face, hands holding her tentacles. "Which logic makes that monster alive, without possessing the original head?!"

Her neck twists her head, as her eyes were catching the man's back turning around, with the stick slamming on the snow.

"Follow me, now." His left hand curls into a fist, which arm bends the elbow behind his back and the wrist was on it. "Without any further questions."

"Mister, stop your movement!" Mirii rolls right, landing on the snow with her feet and moving in the man's direction, mixing walking and small jumping.

"Master." His feet stops on a large white stone.

"Master?!" Her left feet slides on the white stone, her right one was still on the snow, back and arms were behind but the neck stretched forward. "I never declared to follow the teachings of an old stranger."

Hun's feet slide on the snow, leaving a screeching sound in Mirii's ears. She squeezes her eyes and mouth, raising her shoulders.

"If that's your choice, you must know that Artacunia is being invaded by **Coal Creations**." Jerkily, he turns his back, hitting the stones with his cane. "Past this area you'll encounter an army of them, composed by the same sum between you and your friend's ages."

"Tsk." Mirii tightens her arms closer to her chest. Eyebrows down, head a little up. "Those puppets can't comprehend what true perfection is. They aren't even a low-rank nuisance."

The man nodded, as that walking stick impacted on a white stone, releasing just a bang noise.

"Then, my responsibility ends here." His legs were throwing themselves, into a slow-looking run. "Have a nice day."

The Inklings turn their head, watching the man walking over a decorated house.

"Ehm… Mirii…" Hun's eyes fell on the girl's legs, presenting now purple finger-traces in a lighter tone.

"Hunley, before you communicate an already known injury…" Her head swings, as her tentacles fly upwards and fall in a parachute-like motion. "… we are obligated to visit Panae's house once again."

"Panae…" Hun's head tilted downwards, as the chin almost touches the neck.

"Come, Hunley."

The head rose back, pointing the girl's feet carefully stepping on each stone, with her head in a neutral position. He nods in a smile, taking some steps and sliding a bit on the next ones.


	28. Chapter 27 - Revisit

**Alright, if you are liking this story so far, please send in a review!**

 **Also, sometimes I upload new chapters sooner. Should I do that or keep uploading new chapters by using the same schedule? I would like to know!**

* * *

A clear bag of white candies was laying on a floor, as the light coming from the window was resting around the item. Steps were heard… then two soft hand grabbed the bag, lifting upwards and stopping in front of Mirii's eyes.

"Here there are." Her right fingers were pulling the bow, while a smile forms on her face. "The solution of all our frustrating problems."

Her left fingers picked up one piece of white candy, carrying it over her semi-opened mouth. Hun looks around the room: the sofa was turned upside-down, tables on the ground, glass shattered around and paintings facing down.

The chimney had pieces of wood with black signs on it. Near it, pages and a green leather book cover. Turning backwards, the door was leaning on a wall next to a chair's back piece. His eyebrows were up, his mouth was downturned.

Two step noises emerged in the air: the boy returns behind, facing Mirii with a white candy on her left hand and the bag on her right hand. Her cheeks were waving up and down, while assuming a round form. She swallows silently.

"Utterly disgusting, Hunley." She stretches her left arm. "Those heartless creature ruined years of brilliant experience."

His eyes fell on the white candy, with something resembling sugar around it.

"Pick up this candy and eat it." The girl smiles, nodding. "This essence of health will definitively extinct those wretched injuries."

"Really…?" His head tilts to the left. "Uhm… they look familiar…"

Mirii walks closer, letting the candy fall onto Hun's right hand.

"Your memories will become clearer, once your teeth are grinding on this prodigious, comestible food." Her hands were wrapping the box around the bag.

Hun kept seeing the candy: he shrugs, as he throws the item inside his mouth, chewing it loudly. The girl put the bag inside her jacket's right pocket, then taking her right tentacle, Mirii looks around while stroking the tentacle gently.

"Poor Panae…" She sighs, lowering her head and raising her eyebrows. "I can't believe that her humble house was reduced in such despicable state…" She rose her head. "… but the conditions of a building can't compare to the pain, which weighed on her extraordinary heart."

Hun munches, while smiling.

"Hmmm! This thing tastes really good!" He kept munching and nodding.

Mirii frowns a bit, as her eyelids lower.

"Hunley, performing multi-tasking is generally unfavorable. Please, carry your load through your throat first." She rose her head a bit.

The boy gulps, while closing his eyes and stretching his neck.

"Aaaah!" His smile grew. "How could I forget this meal?! I just can't thank you enough, for letting me remember this healthy food!"

She smiles too.

"You are welcome." Her hands are clasped, over her legs. "Now that we retrieved the efficient and effective candies, our next task unfolds its goal away from our eyes."

"Ah…" He rubs his chin, while taking some steps around the room. "What's the task?"

"Saving our younger selves, Hunley." She nods. "As well as saving Panae and searching for John. Their location seem to be identical."

Her left hand grabs her right elbow.

"The Coal Industries, situated in rather vertiginous mountains, surrounded by a thick, dark fog."

"Huh?" His right eyebrow rose, as his head shook a bit. "Wait… did you saw them before?"

"Well… possibly." Her head lowers to the right. "I still can't comprehend the logic which let my mind receiving memories I never experienced myself." Her head returns ahead. "Right after the surprise attack, those plant fiends imprisoned all of us in cages."

She sighs loudly.

"Everything is so blurry… we didn't pronounce much words during our permanence inside the portable prisons. We kept hugging Panae and sometimes she would inform us about the scenery…"

"Uhm…" He folds his arms, while his mouth was downturned. "I just don't want to remember those moments." He grins, while closing his eyes, as a large sweat drop appears on his head's right side.

"I saw the mountains emerging from the horizon… the entire area was losing its colors." Her head rose a little. "That's why I have such unreachable knowledge. However, I must report another complicated mystery…"

"Which is…?" His neck moves forward, while his eyebrows rose a bit and his mouth was open.

"Suddenly, my next memories are arrested by the same fog which is dominating over the mountains." Her right forefinger taps her right cheek.

"Really?" His right foot taps on the floor. "Weird… but that could also be a good thing, you know!" He chuckles a bit.

"And how this event is suppose to hold any elements of positivity?!" Mirii lowers her head, frowning a bit.

"Ehm…" His elbows bend on his body, as his back goes backwards a bit. "Maybe if you remember those next moments, your memories would be cursed or something…?"

The girl snorted, shaking her head slowly.

"Although, your assumptions have an abundance of normal sense." She smiles, raising her head into neutral position. "I shall take your opinion into further consideration."

"Good!" He smiles, as his right eye winks.

"Now…" Mirii blushes a bit. "Our bodies are drenching in useful energy. It's time to proceed and reach the Land of Riches." She walks past Hun. "Come, Hunley. Our journey didn't even reach 50% completion."

The boy nods, walking right behind Mirii. All the sudden, the girl stops: she turns behind as her eyes were glued on a small photo portraying an adult female Inkling doing a V sign, together with an adult male Inkling forming a V sign. The girl's eyes were getting watery, as her nose sniffs loudly.

Hun turns around, seeing the same photograph. Mirii resume her walk, going out of the house. Hun turns around with his ears up, running just behind the girl. Her throat was holding words, puffing up in a second. She shakes her head, closing her eyes and letting out a long sigh.

The Inklings' steps were echoing throughout the village, as some flakes of snow were gliding and twisting in the air, falling over the white stones. Faintly, colorful lights were blinking in a specific pattern. On the ground, there were some traces of wood scattered around.

Mirii stops, as her eyes saw a piece of a furniture, a shattered statue of a gnome, the half of a sofa with the cushions' left edges torn and a cloud of polystyrene sticking out. Her irises shrunk, her jaw dropped.

"Wh-what in the world happened?!" She frowns a lot. "Who was the responsible for such catastrophe?!"

"Someone who's not around here anymore." Hun rose his eyebrows, swallowing silently. "And that's a good thing."

"Of course it's not a good thing!" Mirii turns over Hun, grasping her tentacles and snorting. "Seeing such respectable work being reduced into a pile of rubbish, is an act of extreme intolerance which must be punished with severe, opportune actions!"

"Bu-but, Mirii!" He turns over the girl, opening and moving his arms around. "Did you see what happened to that closet?!" His right forefinger points at a piece of wood's sharp angle. "Whoever destroyed that must be a real monster!"

"No creatures has any chance to even see the perfection itself." Her right foot stomped a white stone. "Especially if those fiends are those puppets created with coal and nonsense!"

"Ehm…" He scratches the back of his head, while turning around. "Speaking of coal, shouldn't we look behind and see if that monster is going after us…?"

Mirii rose her posture, leaving her tentacles and folding her arms.

"The elder resolved that problem, Hunley." She shakes her head, while closing her eyes. "And those remains of fine art should not order us to abort our progress. As I was saying before"

 _PAF!_

Snow was behind Mirii's head: she immediately turns behind, with multiple veins forming on her forehead and a dominating frown.

"WHO DARED TO SHOW CHILDISH ANTICS OVER MATURE CONDUCT?!" Her teeth were gritting, as her head was turning left and right.

 _Over here, Super Senius!_

Mirii turns quickly, looking up.

"WHAT DID YOU"

 _PAF!_

Snow was covering her face, while loud laughs were heard. Smoke was coming out from Mirii's ears, as her right hand pushes down the snow, while her eyes were on fire.

"YOU JUST SIGNED AN EXEMPLARY SERVICE OF PUNISH"

Suddenly, her eyes expanded and her jaw dropped. Floating in the air… Grina and Bars' younger selves! They were grinning, while their eyebrows were down and their arms were folded.


	29. Chapter 28 - Gloves

**Alright, if you have some time and you are liking the story, please leave down a review even if it's something like "I like this story!".**

* * *

"What..." Mirii's irises shrunk. "What my eyes are witnessing?!"

Grina was wearing a white overalls dress with faint black stains all over and large, light yellow shoes with scratches around it. Under her overalls, a checkered shirt with long sleeves, following a red and black pattern. Her face had black traces of dirtiness.

Bars was wearing dark blue overalls, with black stains scattered around and large black shoes: the left one had its sole sticking downwards and the right one had a large hole over the big toe, which was showing up a bit. His hands had a very dark tone and behind his overalls, a dark brown button down shirt with front pockets and long sleeves. Dark traces of dirtiness were present even more on his face.

"Nothing out of the ordinary: just two fresh kids who kick smart butts for a job." Grina chuckles, as her face turns over Bars.

"Yeah! Like, darn straight!" He points his right forefinger over Mirii, as his left eye closed. "Can't wait to bust that chick with some Squiddin'!"

Mirii frowns a lot, while her eyes expands and her irises shrink. Her fists are clenching, more smoke was coming out from her ears.

"YOU TWO ARE BEGGING TO WATCH ME USING PSYCHOLOGICAL METHODS OVER YOUR FOOLISH HEADS!" Her teeth were gritting, her fangs exposed.

"Psy…" Grina squeezes her eyes a bit, shaking her head quickly and leaning her neck forward. "Pfff! Are you coming from some old dusty book?!"

"More like from an old dusty library!" Bars rose his right forefinger, smiling a lot.

The two floating Inklings laugh loudly: Grina holds her stomach, as her legs kept kicking in the air and her eyes were closed, while Bars leans backwards slightly. Mirii was shaking, as smoke kept coming out in more quantity. Veins were almost covering her entire forehead.

"YOUR INSULTS ARE AS PATHETIC AS YOUR POSSIBILITY TO EVER ACHIEVE ANYTHING, GRINA!" Mirii stomps her right foot.

Hun was waving back and forth, as his arms kept moving around quickly and his eyes grew instantly.

"Huh?!" The small girl opens her eyes, pointed over Mirii. "You called me Grina?!" Her mouth was left open.

"YES, YOU IDIOT! YOUR NAME IS DEFINITIVELY GRINA! WHAT ARE"

Suddenly, Mirii's eyes shrunk to normal size. Veins were all retreating inside and her mouth was catching some air.

"Wait… why are you responding in such unexplainable way?" Her left foot slides backwards a little. "Almost like someone would answer, the first time they encounter a stranger…"

"Yeah, that shorty brain of yours asked a good question…" Grina turns over Bars, as her eyebrows rose. "What's going on with this pile of losing tentacles, Barsy?"

"Beats me with a splat, girl!" His head turns over the girl, while moving his right hand up and down. "Maybe you crushed this ant in the no-mattering time."

"ANT TO WHO, BARS?!" Mirii snorted, as her arms were folded. "You must stand in tiptoes in order to watch my sharper eyes."

"You kidding!" Grina stares down Mirii, with her eyes large. "Are you cheating your way with some alien mind-reading shenanigans?!"

"Girl, like you gave her the answer before…" Bars shrugs, as his mouth downturns.

"Because I called you Barsy! Not Bars!" Grina turns around, knocking the boy's forehead with her right fist, while frowning a little. "Don't become the joke on me, big boy!" Her wrists fall on her hips.

"Whoa, like… sorry to the max!" His right hand massages a faint, red stain on his forehead.

Grina smiles.

"Now, now… getting crocodile-sad makes you drier than the Coal Mines themselves! After all…" Slowly, she turns over Mirii, grinning and folding her arms. "So what she knows our cards?! Her deck makes her barking more boring stuff!"

"False!" Mirii's left foot slides forward, while her frown shows up. "My hand hides intelligent cards, which would allow my perfect play reach the winning status."

"Oooooh, really…" Grina's wrists fell on her hips, while her legs opened and her eyelids lowered to the middle. Her grin and down eyebrows gradually grew. "Then, how about you show this unimpressed audience some army, hmmmm?"

Her eyes rest on Hun, while he was frowning a bit.

"Or that skinny dude is suppose to lead out all your entire fun?" She giggles, while closing her eyes and covering her mouth with her left hand.

"HIS SHAPE ALREADY REACHED HIGH LEVELS OF PERFORMANCE!" Mirii's teeth appeared pointy, while talking and frowning a lot. "Stop trying to impose untrue evidences and admit your incompetence to properly duel with top fighters!"

"Top fighters my butt, girl!" Bars turns behind, whistling loudly. "Like, you are already splatted!" He returns, grinning and folding his arms.

From the houses' doors, behind the house walls and bushes… multiple Coal Creations were slowly marching towards the two young Inklings. There were many male and female Inklings, some had a younger appearance.

Mirii and Hun walked backwards, stopping some feet away from more than 30 Coal Creations: some were showing their teeth, others were tilting their heads.

"Hmpf!" A clear sweat appears on the right side of Mirii's forehead. Her eyes kept bouncing left and right. "So, this confirms that you are the childish responsible behind the Coal Creations' appearance."

"Right on, girl!" Bars nods. "Like, you should find some ink and hide in like bugs!"

"Naaah, that's too lame Barsy…" Grina bends her back forward, as her smile grows. "I want to see some punches and kicks, with a mix of teeth flying off!"

"Yeah! Awesome!" The boy strikes a punch upwards. "Like, she's getting flattened together with that other silent idiot!"

"GRRRRR!" Mirii's fists were shaking, smoke was coming out from her ears, veins were raising from her forehead, teeth were gritted to the extreme. "WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU TWO IMBECILES?! WHY YOUR MOUTH IS SHOUTING MESSAGES OF VIOLENCE?!"

"Because you are out." Grina sticks her tongue, as her right thumb flips downwards. "You stink too much with those book breathes and our name information."

"AND YOU SMELL WITH AN OVERDOSE OF INFANTILITY!" Mirii stomps her right foot. "Those mindless creatures are going to admire the stars from the strength of my kicks! Hunley will stop your flight advantage, so my slaps could finally meet your cheeks!"

"Hunley?! Is that his name?! Pffff!" Grina's cheek puffed, while her left hand covered her mouth.

Grina laughs very loudly, grabbing her stomach and kicking the air. Bars was chuckling a bit, as his eyes were staring at Hun. Suddenly, the small girl moves to the left as a square-shaped, black item flew ahead. Her face turned into a slight frown, as her eyelids were in the middle and her mouth was open an inch. She stands still with her arms on her sides, looking towards Mirii.

"Looks like the games are history." She nods faintly, while inhaling with her nose loudly. Her right arm stretches forward, same for her forefinger "GET HER! NOW!"

The Coal Creations were all moving in a fast pace, with their arms open, crying a loud growl. The two Inklings walked backwards, then turned behind. The old man was holding a ball of ink, which he throws above them. The Inklings turned: the ball drenching in ink fell on a female Inkling's chest, as the creature screamed and impacted on the ground. The monsters stop, trembling.

"Step aside." From the man's left hand another ball of ink was forming. "I decided to end this, with my experience alone."

"No!" Mirii returns facing the elder, while frowning. "I possess supportive items which"

"There is only one way to deal against such problem." His left arm bends behind, then frowning a lot. "Coal Miners! In the name of Artacunia, I'll repel your evil spirits back to the dreadful mountains!"

"Pffff!" Grina grins, while folding her arms. "You are even living inside an ancient book!"

The man throws the round object, which fell under Grina's legs, hitting a small boy's head which yelled in a loud growl.

"Wow, dude… like, your dictionary still doesn't have the word gym!" Bars chuckles.

"Sgrunt…" The old man was breathing loudly, coughing twice. "The powers of those gloves… th-they are getting older too…"

"Yep! This is the ancient music I wanted to hear!" Grina's wrists were touching, as her palms were pointing over the man. "Now, take a listen to the real blast! ULTIMATE METAL!"

Suddenly, a dark tornado grows under the man's feet, wrapping him entirely: loud yells were heard, echoing throughout the village. The tornado vanished into fin air… revealing a Coal Creation! Pieces of the two gloves were falling down, under the now sharper fingers.

The male Inkling showed the teeth, growling at the two Inklings. Mirii dropped her jaw, as sweat appears on her forehead. Hun was trembling, turning over the young Inklings: Grina was laughing with her head tilted upwards and her wrists on her hips.

"No… th-the Coal Creations… th-they are…" Mirii whispered, as her eyebrows skyrocket on her forehead.

"Nice bustin', girl!" Bars' rose his right thumb, grinning. "Like, I would destroy my eardrums if that dude kept on with his ancient gramophone!"

"Flipping stuff is just pricelessly fun!"Grina does a high-five with Bars.

Her eyes are pointing Mirii, as the girl turns behind and frowns a lot.

"Hmm…" She grows a small smile. "You know what, Barsy?" Grina's wrists touched again. "If we turn that loser into a Coal Creation, we could make her stumble over the pits!"

Mirii gasps, as her right foot slides backwards.

"Yeeeah! Sounds rad, girl!" He nods, as his fists were moving up and down. "Come on, do it already!"

"NO! PLEASE DON'T!" Hun hugs Mirii, showing his back towards Grina. "LEAVE HER ALONE!"

"… aaawwwww…" Grina rose her eyebrows. "What a nice guy… such example shall meet the nice pits too!" Her eyebrows lower, as her grin expands.

Mirii and Hun closed their eyes, as they hugged each other.


	30. Chapter 29 - Escape

**Alright, if you are liking the story so far, please send in a review!**

* * *

The tips of Mirii's tentacles were shivering. Her eyebrows stuck on her forehead, her arms were tightly gripping around the boy, her legs couldn't stop shaking. Mentally, she saw her right hand picking up a folded paper from an adult male Inkling wearing glasses, then a chuckling Rof lifting the girl above his head, then Hun passing a wrapped box over Mirii while smiling.

"WHAT?!"

Her eyes opened, looking down to some porcelain pieces. Retreating her arms and passing Hun, Mirii's face was pointed right on Grina: her eyes were expanded, her jaw dropped. She was almost falling down.

"Did that stupid tornado just appeared for show?!" She snorted, stretching her arms down and clenching her fists. "What kind of illegal cards do you have under your sleeves?!"

"Hmpf." Mirii smiles briefly, while closing her eyes. She rose her head a little, as her mouth stood in a neutral position and her arms were folded. "Your acts are illegal enough to let you permanently remain inside a prison."

"Grrrrr…" Grina shows her teeth, while frowning a lot and raising her left cheek. "Seeing your smug is surely making the sky cry…"

"Girl, wait a darn minute!" Bars flies near the girl, as his left hand rests on her left shoulder.

The girl turns her head over him, while her mouth was left open.

"Don't you remember what the boss said earlier?!" His eyebrows were up.

Grina kept looking towards his eyes.

"Ah… that's true!" Her head twists over Mirii, as her arms folded. "Now I see your games, cheater!"

Her head lowers, frowning a little.

"You and that good-for-nothing… **you aren't from this world** , are ya?!" She snorted with her nose.

"The same conclusion could be reported for you and that real good-for-nothing." Mirii's eyelids lowered to the middle.

"SHUT UP!" Grina's cheeks puffed. "I can't believe your minuscule head is carrying around endless green tickets…"

"Wh-what are you babbling about, now?!" Mirii shows her gritted teeth, as her body tilted backwards and her eyebrows were down.

"What she's saying is…" Bars coughed once, while holding his left fist. " **People are looking all around the world to throw you into a cage!** Same for that bonehead."

Mirii dropped her jaw. Her irises shrunk, while her head shook around quickly.

"Your statement can't even hold itself from the contradictions heaving it down!" Her left arm moves forward, with her left forefinger pointing at Bars. "As Grina just stated, we aren't from this world! You couldn't even recognize us, until the tornado worn out its existence!"

"Wow! When an ignorant gets too much roller-coasting momentum!" Grina smiles, while her eyebrows were down. She flies a bit ahead, while her wrists were on her sides. "If people knew your identities, you can bet your butt they already took you down!"

"WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE!" Smoke came out from Mirii's ears, as her eyes were on fire. "Where is your discipline?!"

"Hmpf…" Grina rose her head a bit, as her eyelids lowered to the middle and her right hand moves her right tentacle behind her right shoulder. "How that brain of yours work is a mystery I wouldn't even dare to explore."

"The real mystery is you!" Her right foot stomped a white stone. "Why your memories fail to recognize me and Hunley?! We are allies! Well…" Her right fingers fell on her mouth. "In the future, of course."

Grina sighs loudly, which changed into a small scream.

"Your calculations are worst than avoiding giant books raining from the clouds! I had enough of your weirdness!" She turns behind, looking down to the Coal Creations, as her right forefinger points at Mirii and Hun. "CAPTURE THE TWO IDIOTS! DON'T KILL THEM, THOUGH!"

The monsters growled, all charging at a normal pace towards the two Inklings. Mirii quickly looks left and right, while her arms were open. Her left hand immerged inside her jacket's left pocket, pulling out a small, round object.

"STAY CLOSE TO ME, HUNLEY!" Her left hand threw down the item.

Hun jumped near the girl, as puffs of smoke were surrounding the two, as the Coal Creations stop and growled, all watching the large cloud. Bars frowns a lot, while folding his arms and growling, with his teeth exposed. He inhales air loudly, as his lungs were growing.

Immediately, he exhales everything, blowing down the cloud away: there were only white stones.

"DASQUID?!" His eyes expanded. "Where those bugs went?!"

Grina looks left and right: her ears rose, capturing steps echoing throughout the village. Turning behind, she saw Mirii and Hun running past a large tree, surrounded by wood fences.

"THERE THEY ARE!" Her legs were kicking the air, while she was pulling her own tentacles, lifting her head and closing her eyes. "I'M GOING TO KICK THEIR BUTTS SO HARD, THAT THEY'LL LOSE THE ABILITY TO SIT!"

She flew forward, without moving a single limb. Bars went on the girl's right, while the Coal Creations ran right behind and resume their own growls. Hun moves his arms so fast, it wasn't possible to see them. Moving in front of Mirii, he grabbed her left hand and dashes even more, while gritting his teeth!

He jumped left and right, passing pieces of wood and glass. Together, the two jumped a closed closet with the back down, in a sideway position. Suddenly, Grina and Bars flew in front of them: they turned behind, while flying backwards, both folding their arms.

"KINDA BORING THIS OBSTACLE COURSE, HUH?!" She lifts her right forefinger.

The girl turned it around, more and more… forming a rotating ring colored in a mix between light-blue and red. She threw it towards the two Inklings, while growing in size: they jumped inside, but the ring was around them. Mirii's eyes bounced left and right, while her eyebrows were down.

"HUNLEY! STAND STILL AND JUMP!" Her knees were bending.

Hun stops, as both jumped above the ring: it kept moving over a house, impacting it and exploding in yellow sparks. The two floating Inklings stop, snorting together.

"Leave them to me, girl!" He pulls his shirt sleeves, as his fingers were moving up and down. "Gonna make them dance like bozos!"

He fell down, slamming the ground with his fists: the ground was moving and so are Mirii and Hun! They opened their arms, waving them around. Grina flew above Mirii, as her arms rose and her eyes closed. Gradually, a cage materializes.

Hun jumped to the left, hitting Mirii and falling down with her: the cage fell on their left side, in a loud sound.

"WHAT?!" Grina stretched her arms down, clenching her fists. "Come on! You were suppose to be under that cage!"

Bars rose his hands, as he was catching out some breath.

"Pant, pant… like… girl, do something…" His hands were on the white stones, while looking towards Grina and panting even louder.

Mirii and Hun quickly stand up: both sprinted, running to the right. Grina stares at them, while she shakes her right fist. She rapidly flies after them, lowering down a bit. The Inklings turned to the left, then to the right. All the sudden, a brick wall ahead! They stopped, as Hun's left foot slips upwards, falling down on his back.

"Hunley!" Mirii walks closer, kneeing down and picking up the boy's left hand.

They stood up: Hun bended forward, as his hands are on his back, while his eyebrows were up, his left eye closed and his teeth were gritting.

"No, no, Hunley!" She shakes her head, while looking his face. "Don't let the meaningless pain fool your brilliant mind!"

A loud laugh bursts right into their ears: the Inklings turned, seeing Grina grinning in their faces and with her wrists on her sides. Her legs were wide open. After some seconds, Bars reached the girl as he was cracking his knuckles.

"They are so about to become Squid pancakes!" He bends forward. "Let's get"

Grina's left hand holded Bars' stomach. His face turned over the girl's head, which was shaking left and right, with her eyes closed.

"Barsy, don't you see?!" Her right hand opened in front of the wall. "That wall is speaking out some convincing inspiration…!"

She grins, nodding slowly. The boy left his mouth semi-open.

"Why don't we throw out our duties…" From her right hand, a large white tennis racket materializes, with red handle wraps. "And remember why Service Aces are so awesome?"

Her right eye winks. Bars grins a lot, nodding quickly.

"Like, now you are thinking with power!" From his right hand, an even larger tennis racket appears, colored in black, with blue handle wraps. "Smash power!"

Mirii and Hun look at each other. From Grina's left hand, a ball of yellow ink appears. She throws it in the air, hitting it with her racket: the ball flew down, passing above Hun's head, bouncing once and impacting on the wall, exploding in a yellow stain.

Bars creates a blue ball of ink, throwing it upwards and smashing it with the racket: it bounced in front of Mirii, passing above her head and impacting on the wall. Grina creates even more tennis-like balls, made out with ink of a huge variety of colors.

"THIS IS WAAAAAAAARRR!" Grina threw up another ball, smashing it down towards the Inklings.

They jumped, as Mirii rolled on the ground. Another ball made in red ink was flying down, towards Hun: he jumped, with his head down, as the item bounced on the ground. Raising his head, a lighter-green ink ball hit his face: the boy yelped, running to the right while his hands were sliding down the ink from his eyelids.

Several ball-shaped ink crashed against the wall, with multiple stains coloring it. A dark purple ink ball lands on Mirii's left arm: she screamed, while her head rose and her eyes closed.

"Ha ha ha ha!" Grina's irises shrunk, while her mouth was open and showing off her fangs. "Splatting the enemies, splatting the entire world! That's the music I want to sing!"

Mirii's eyelids were full of ink, as her eyes were trying to see the area around: waves of 10 ink balls were flying by, after some seconds! Her feet were stepping on different ink-colored stains, making her yelp even louder.

Hun's ears were capturing every single sound from Mirii's lament. Tears were forming around the corner of his eyes, while his right arm was standing on his forehead and his eyelids were getting heavier. Moving left and right, some ink balls were hitting him on his arms or head.

The boy closes his eyes for a moment. Suddenly, he opens them quickly as his irises shrunk.

 ** _Wait… why we are moving towards that wall?_**

 ** _Dear, I don't know… I hope they don't intend to break it down. Me and John used to chat near it…_**

 ** _Eheheheheheh!_**

 ** _Wh-what the?! What's wrong with that wall?!_**

Ducking down, Hun shakes his head quickly, while a red ball of ink passes above him.

"MIRII! THE WALL!" He turns to the left, while his eyebrows were down.

The girl turns in his direction, jumping sideways to the right, as a blue ball of ink passes.

"NOT NOW, HUNLEY! I'M THINKING ABOUT"

"WE CAN ENTER INSIDE IT! COME ON!" He turns behind, rushing towards the wall.

He springs over a green stain on the wall, in his humanoid form: splashes were spread around it. Grina and Bars stop their rackets, as a yellow ball fell in front of the girl's face: both had dropped their own jaws. Mirii kept looking the green stain: she dashes, diving with her arms stretched forward, impacting the green spot.

"Hey, HEY!" Grina frowns a lot, gritting her teeth and throwing her racket down a white stone. "WHAT'S GOING ON NOW?!"

Some Coal Creations walked from the left corner. The small girl turned behind, as the balls of ink on her left hand vanished into puffs of smoke and her right forefinger points over the wall.

"JUST IN TIME, SLOWPOKES! PASS THAT WALL AND GET THOSE CHEATERS!"

The Coal Creations looked over the wall, growling loudly.


	31. Chapter 30 - Cave

**Well, if you are liking the story so far, please send in a review!**

* * *

A green stain waved a bit, gradually increasing in frequency. Suddenly, Mirii popped out with her arms stretched forward and her eyes closed. Her mouth was yelling, until her stomach impacted on the dusty, brownish ground: she grunted, coughing loudly inside a large puff of dust.

"Mirii!"

Her eyes spotted Hun's knees bending towards her face. Jerkily tilting her head upwards, she tracks down his raised eyebrows. Her eyes blinked multiple times, groaning quietly.

"Are you alright?!" He thrusts his right hand over her face.

Her eyes looked at it, while her eyelids were stuck middle way: trembling, she grabs the boy's right hand with her own, slowly raising upwards from the ground by leaning with her left leg. Her jacket was covered in brownish dust, same for her tentacles and her face. She coughed, while her right fist stood on her mouth.

"I'm fine, Hunley…" She opens her fist.

The back of her own hand had a brown tone: her eyes expanded a bit, as her right hand twists around. Hun's eyes were following her head looking down to her jacket and pants, which had brown spots. Her eyes fell over her tentacles: her irises shrunk instantly, while her hands were lifting her tentacles and her head was turning left and right.

"No… my perfect appearance…" Her eyebrows were high.

"Hmm?" Hun looks her tentacles and clothes. "What about it? It looks fine, other than a bit of dirtiness…"

Her head quickly rose over Hun: she frowns a lot.

"A bit of dirtiness…? A BIT OF DIRTINESS?!" Her eyes expanded, smoke was coming out from her ears. "ARE YOUR EYES UNCAPABLE OF CONFIRMING THE OVERWHELMING PRESENCE OF DUST ON ME?!"

She stomps down with her right foot: Hun jumped backwards, trembling. The girl opens her arms, as her eyebrows rose up again and her eyes fell over her jacket.

"How could I let my most excellent persona, being treated more inferiorly than rubbish?!" Her irises were dancing, as a soft layer of water stood on her eyes. "What my brilliant mind was thinking about the consequences of such lousy performance?!"

"Ehm… Mirii…" Hun slowly walks over the girl, as his right arm stretched a bit forward. "You see"

"OF COURSE!" Mirii frowns again, as she turns quickly behind. "The real culprits are those idiots who dared to spit and tease over the fine art which is perfection!"

Multiple veins were popping from Mirii's forehead.

"If any faint signs of cowardice are going to file this humiliating defeat inside my memory records, I'm going to live at the top of the highest of the mountains and trap myself inside a block of shameful ice!"

Her teeth got pointy, her eyes were on fire. She sprints over the wall.

"I'M GOING TO SHOW THOSE FOOLS WHAT"

Suddenly, two hands pulled the girl backwards: Hun pulled the girl, hugging her.

"DON'T INTERFERE WITH MY TRIAL OF REDEMPTION, HUNLEY! THEY MUST KNEEL DOWN TO MY FEET, BEGGING FOR A SPARE!" Her arms waved in front of the wall, as the fire on her eyes increased.

"They have those monsters with them, do you remember?!" The boy moves backwards, very slowly, while pulling the girl. His head was tilting up, with his eyes closed. "If you show up again in front of them, they will turn you into Squid soup for real!"

"NONSENSE! I'M GOING TO PUNISH THE IMBECILES AND DEMOLISH THOSE MISERABLE PILE OF COAL!" Her back was going back and forth, her eyes were closed.

"NO! DON'T!" He opens his eyes, pulling the girl even more. "THOSE MONSTERS ARE INNOCENT PEOPLE!"

"What?!" Her eyes opened quickly.

Mirii stops moving, as her mouth was left open.

"Mirii…" His head leans over the girl's right ear. "… I-I may not understand what those two did exactly to you… but they are too dangerous to fight like this. Th-they are turning people into coal monsters!"

Her eyes blinking, while she still watches the wall.

"You know… maybe they are the ones responsible for that seabear too…" He walks in front of the girl, with his hands still on her shoulders. "Who knows what other tricks they have under their sleeves?! I-I don't want to even think about it…"

Mirii closes her mouth, as her eyes were now watching his.

"I-I don't like the idea you are going to fight them off! I-I don't want to lose you!" He blushes.

Mirii immediately opens her mouth, while her cheeks were blushing.

"Please, Mirii! Let's just forget about them! Instead, let's think about… about…" The boy's head turns around. "Hey, there is no snow around here!"

Mirii's eyes were examining the boy's face: her eyes were a bit watery.

"Hunley…" She smiles.

"Huh?" He looks down to the girl. "What?"

"You… sigh, you are the reason why my mental ranks never fell down from the top…" She closes her eyes, while tilting her head to the left.

Hun left his mouth open, then he smiles too.

"I…" Her eyes opened, as her head tilted into regular position. "I can't analyze the processes who lead the words decorated with my voice…" Her eyebrows rose. "How could I forget the imposed imprisonment, forged by the fiendish works of those two monsters?!"

"Rage isn't the answer for any problem…" Hun looks down-left, as he sighs loudly. "Sometimes, my mom and dad kinda scream at each other… and my sister hugs me, because of the loud voices." He looks over Mirii. "But at the end, what's point of getting angry? It destroys more than a storm!"

Mirii nods, while smiling even more.

"It's impossible to add anything as truthful as your quote." She giggles a bit. "Your phrase must be incised under the statue representing perfection."

"Ah… ehm…" A sweat drop appears on the right side of Hun's forehead. "I-I'm not so sure that my phrase should get all this praise…"

"Of course you are sure to get all the praise!" She closes her eyes, smiling.

"What?!" His jaw dropped. "But I"

"Now…" Her eyes open, her mouth stands sideways. "We must concentrate and utilize our sight to quickly explore the area."

She turns around, looking even behind: trees and bushes were around, while the sky had a blue tone with stars barely visible. In front of them a cave entrance on the rocky walls, full of darkness. On its left, barely visible… the sea and a collection of small cubes near it.

Mirii gasps, as her hands fell on her mouth.

"Hunley!" Her right forefinger points over the cubes. "Your attention, please!"

Hun walks in front of the girl, as his eyes were squeezing, seeing the cubes.

"Huh… I wonder what those are…"

"That's none other than The Land of Riches!" Mirii smiles, walking on Hun's left. "Thanks to the wall's means of teleportation, our progress was affected positively."

Her mouth was left open.

"Now that I remember…" Her head turns over Hun. "Hunley, how did you perceive by intuition the secrets and mysteries of that ordinary work of bricks?"

"I didn't." He shrugs, as his head turns over Mirii. "Suddenly, I remembered what those little creatures did, while we were inside a cage."

"Really?" Her head turns behind, seeing the wall. "Could you explain the solution behind this puzzle?"

"They painted the wall with this black ink." He looks up, as he rubs his chin. "I still don't understand why we passed through it…"

"Hmm…" Mirii returns staring at Hun. "And from that assumption, you concluded that ink would reveal the wall's powers?"

"Ehm…" He scratches the back of his head, while chuckling. "Actually, I-I could have been easily wrong since there isn't any trace of black ink!"

"Of course you weren't easily wrong." Mirii smiles, as her right hand took her right tentacle, stroking it gently.

"What?! I-I"

"What's important in this very instant…" She turns over the cave. "… is the existence of this passage."

"Ah… … we are going to the left, right?" He grins, as he swallows silently.

"I'm not sure the cave has multiple paths to choose…" She slowly walks over the cave's entrance.

"Then, let's walk over there!" Hun points over the small road on the left. "See?! It's a nice, little passageway through those woods… and we have some natural light to let us see with ease!"

Mirii took a rapid look over it… snorting.

"My honorable experience, combined with my vast knowledge, is reporting that the following path contains wild animals such as seabears and seawolves. Not to mention, the alarming amount of forks in the road, which not even the most updated of the navigators could solve the natural maze in time." She closes her eyes, frowning a bit.

"Ah… really?" His eyebrows rose, his mouth downturned, his shoulders fell forward with his arms swinging a bit back and forth.

"Perfection signed the report. Your mistake doesn't cost you any mental rank, considering your justifiable ignorance on the subject." She steps closer to the cave.

"Wait! I-I'm not ignorant on that! In fact, there is a forest right near"

"HUNLEY!" She shows her teeth while frowning and turning over him. "We must move before the flying fiends are going to locate us. We can't let them cause any harms to us… am I right?"

Hun nodded quickly, trembling a bit.

"Then, we must explore this cave at once. Out in the open, we could easily be spotted by them…" She returns behind.

"Huh…" He looks the sky. "You are right… I completely forgot about that. Inside the caves, they would never think to find us there!"

Mirii turns her head to the left, smiling.

"I knew your intelligence would arrive at such impeccable solution, yet again…"

He chuckles, while blushing a bit and scratching the back of his head. The girl nodded, seeing the boy approaching her left side. Together, the two Inklings walked inside the cave, as Mirii stood closer to Hun.


	32. Chapter 31 - Minecart

**Alright, if you are liking the story so far, please send in a review!**

* * *

The sound of the steps were echoing throughout the never-ending reign of darkness. A white-bluish light was coming from a small point, expanding wide in the sea of shadows. Its range tracked rocky walls, which had a smooth appearance… almost like they were drenching in water.

Faintly, the range captured vague soft fingers gripping on a slim, rectangular pad, almost closing the hand around it. What the range caught next were wooden boards attached around the wall: small holes were spread around, with scratches who were deeper than the holes themselves. Tilting down, a lamp was sitting right next to the wall: glass shards were nearby.

Steps kept talking. Joining the concert, water drop sounds which provenience was around the left side. Shyly, other sounds were appearing on the show. The steps stopped. The new sounds were penetrating through the ears, entering inside the minds and circling around them.

Quickly, the noises were associated with images of an engine speeding through dark portals, leaving behind poisonous clouds. That rapidly changed to a massive ray who keeps disintegrate tortured people… her heart beats faster.

Briefly, Mirii's face appeared from behind the pad, staring to the left with irises frozen. She wasn't breathing, not even from the nose. Hun's face got it from the pad's light. His eyebrows were up and his eyes were getting watery.

The sounds grew immediately: now the images were showing a dark-green vortex, absorbing screaming souls… Mirii trembled a bit, closing her eyes for a moment. The noises became quieter…

"Hunley…" She whispers, swallowing silently. "You… k-keep staying close to me, ok…?"

He nods, as his mouth was waving. Mirii trembled again, as her eyes were watching the boy's mouth forming a small downturn. Her mind was starting to hear moans…

"Hunley… you… you are not scared… right?" The girl moves closer over him.

"Ehm… I… can I lie by saying no…?" His arms were wrapping around Mirii.

"Of course… you are not lying." A smile came up jerkily on her face. "You are full of courage… wh-what kind of dangers, this peaceful cave could hide…?"

The boy swallows loudly.

"Mirii… I-I'm sorry for saying this, but…" He sighs. "I-I would rather fight those seabears, than staying another minute walking he-here!"

He let out a sob, grasping the girl even more.

"Please, Mirii… let's forget"

"No Hunley." The girl shakes her head. "We walked for a while… we can't go back…"

"Bu-but"

"Let's go, Hunley…" She turns into a direction, as she moves away from Hun's arms.

Mirii took a shy step forward.

"S-stay close to me, though… don't walk away…"

The smartphone's screen flashed on Mirii's eyes: a small, rectangular-shaped sign was blinking while showing a small, red square inside the sign's left side. Her heart skipped some beats.

"Quick… we must be quick…" Her pace increased slightly.

The steps were raising from the ground, following an accelerated rhythm. The smartphone kept pointing its light on the road, which had small ponds of mud spread on the dirty ground. That noise kept ringing into the ears… dominating more and more, as the Inklings kept walking.

Her right foot impacted onto something soft: the girl jumped, screaming a bit and immediately pointing the smartphone down. Her jaw dropped, her voice refused to came out: a pair of greenish clothes were standing next to a pair of brown pants, which ended in black shoes with scratches on it.

Mirii watches the clothes again, while moving the smartphone closer: scratches were also present on them! A strong smell entered inside the girl's nostrils: sniffing silently, Mirii's memories were tingling. The tingles evolved, as her veins were being conquered by an army of adrenaline. Her eyes couldn't expand more than that.

"No…" She walked backwards, as her eyes closes and her throat was invisibly chocking. "Why… wh-why I never learn?!"

"Mirii?!" Hun stands in front of girl, as his head keeps looking around and behind. "What's wrong?!"

"My assumptions!" She grits her teeth, eyebrows skyrocketed on her forehead. "They cover my ears, they narrow my mind, they trick my eyes!" She breathes loudly, once. "Your words were the truth I rejected with the powers of arrogance! We must dare an escape, Hunley! This cave is a nightmare I don't want to unveil!"

Turning around, Mirii sprints at full force: her smartphone illuminates the floor. Hun sprinted, reaching the girl's left side. They turned left, they turned right… seeing a minecart flipped on its left side, more clothes and shoes spread around the ground, footprints made with only three toes.

Mirii gasped, as her eyes were resting on the footprints, while stopping in a short slide. The smartphone waves around, while tracking the footprints as they were appearing in a line, over the road to the right. The device quickly points to the nearby left road, which had only small ponds of mud.

"This way, Hunley!" Mirii's left forefinger pointed the road.

The two Inklings rushed in that direction: some faint traces of light were slightly kicking the darkness away.

"Yes!" Hun smiles. "The exit!"

Hun runs even faster, while grabbing Mirii's left hand with his right one. The girl frowns a bit, looking up on the ceiling for a moment.

"No, Hunley! Interrupt this run in this very moment!" She pulls her left hand.

The boy stops in a screech, as mud flies forward from under his feet. The area was surrounded by a bluish light: instantly their irises tracked down a single minecart on rails. The rails were going forward, where an even brighter light was standing.

Fresh air was roaming around, as well as a scent of orange. On the walls, pickaxes were leaning with helmets hanging above. In front of the helmets, small written tags. Faintly, animal voices briefly appeared from a distance. The girl smiles, sighing loudly.

"Our superior navigation skills let us found an alternate exit route." Her head looks over Hun, as her right fingers pulled some very small switches on the smartphone's right side.

She brings the device inside her left pocket, while her left hand holds tighter Hun's right hand.

"It is?" He turns over the girl, as his head tilted to the right. "What's that thing standing in front of us?"

"That's a minecart." She nods, smiling even more. "Shall we inspect this vehicle together?"

"Well…" The boy looks behind, seeing the darkness. He looks back towards the girl, chuckling. "Better than drowning inside those corridors!" He smiles. "The air is actually nice, here…"

"Wise deduction." Mirii giggles a bit.

The two Inklings moved together, towards the minecart. Their necks stretched forward, as their heads tilted down: inside the vehicle, two small metallic chair-like items above a stripped carpet, containing some small pebbles and dust.

The pebbles were shining. Mirii's irises were right one of the larger pebbles. Hun turns over the girl, then over the pebble pointed with her sight.

"Why are you looking at that rock? You want it?" Hun walks to the left, leaving Mirii's hand.

He touches the minecart's left edge with his stomach, as he was bending right down towards the carpet. His right hand picked up the pebble, which brought it over Mirii, while his eyes were resting on it.

"There." He shows the pebble, smiling.

The girl carefully took the pebble with both her hands, as her eyes were already seeing it through.

"Heh." Hun chuckles a bit, as his hands were behind his back. "I didn't know you were a fan of rocks."

"Gold." Her right fingers lifted the pebble, closer to her eyes.

"What?! Gold?!" The boy left his mouth open, as his eyebrows rose.

"Affirmative." She smiles, as her right hand puts the pebble inside her pants' right pocket. "Now it's clear the reason behind the overabundance of mining tools." Her head turns over Hun. "However…"

Her eyebrows rose, as her mouth downturns a little.

"… we found no one around those mines."

"Which is… bad news, right?" He trembles, as his eyes were on the darkness portion of the area.

"Unfortunately, the answer is correct." Mirii sighs. "But solving such mystery is not a priority. We can't spend any of our precious time, exploring every last inch of those mines… that's also because"

Suddenly, a loud moaning echoed throughout the room. The two Inklings stood still, with their arms stretched down. Slow steps were coming from the darkness… and heavy breathing. Mirii slowly moves over the minecart: her right hand kept pointing to it, while her head was turned over Hun.

He nods, swallowing and trembling. The girl's left leg entered inside the minecart, followed by her right leg. She sits on the right chair, as her head turned behind. Sweat was coming down again, her limbs were shaking. The steps were getting louder… and so the moanings.

Mirii looks at Hun, as he was lifting his right leg. She shakes her head, as her left hand touches the boy's leg. His head immediately turns on Mirii, as his eyes were seeing her hand gestures, accompanied with mouth movements.

He looks down on the vehicle, as his hands were grasping its left edge. Slowly, he pushes the minecart: in a rapid jump, he lands inside the vehicle and sitting on the left chair. The light impacted on the Inklings' eyes: Mirii covers her eyes with her hands and Hun covers his eyes with his right arm.

The wheels were squeaking loudly. Mirii and Hun opened their eyes: the forest was expanding under their eyes. Looking down, they tracked the rails going 45° down… the Inklings look at each other, as they yelled right when the minecart picked up speed.


	33. Chapter 32 - Curse

**Well, if you are liking this story so far... please, send in a review!**

* * *

A loud breeze formed, as Mirii's tentacles were waving behind. Her hands fell in front of the minecart's edge, as her eyes were seeing the rails. Under them, pillars who were touching the grassy fields, around a group of trees.

The vehicle kept turning right, almost tilting to the left. Mirii pushes the minecart's right edge down, as the wheels' front and back right-sides touched the right rail, spinning on it. Hun leaned to the right, pushing down the vehicle as well.

The wheels were squeaking slowly, as the minecart was now ascending. The two Inklings look ahead: the rails were going into a dark hole on the mountain's walls, while the vehicle was moving gradually slower. The darkness absorbed Mirii and Hun instantly, as their eyes were seeing faint blurry lights.

 _Thunk._

No more wind around or any squeaking wheels: the silence was lurking in their ears. The girl blinked multiple times, turning her sight around the room.

"It seems that my mind didn't calculate accurately about the quick travel we endured." She jumps out of the minecart, landing on her feet and almost touching the ground with her right hand.

"So… this means, we are still stuck inside those caves?!" Hun lies his left foot on the ground, before lying his right one, while his head was staring at Mirii. "Please, just say how wrong I was!" His eyebrows rose and his teeth gritted.

Mirii sighs loudly, as she walks closer to him, shaking her head and closing her eyes for a moment.

"Hunley, since when you said wrong assumptions?" She rose her eyebrows, with her mouth downturned.

"Ehm… since now?" He chuckles, while scratching the back of his head.

"Of course you are right!" The girl frowns a bit, leaning slightly forward. "Those mines are proven to be a mindful challenge, Hunley…" She looks down, raising her eyebrows. "… it's a puzzle I still can't comprehend."

Hun downturns his mouth, as he looks behind: several lamps had a small fire, behind their glass. His eyes tracked a corridor going to the left, another one forward and the last one on the right.

"However, perfection doesn't contain the word **surrendered** in its vast collection of words." Mirii walks near Hun's right side, while folding her arms. "As long as the immense powers of logic are assisting our deeds, no dreadful maze can hold the progressions of Mirii Hanache."

She turns her head over the boy, smiling.

"The very same for Hun Squidson." She nods.

Hun left his mouth open.

"Wait… it can't be…!" His eyes expanded.

"Hmm?" Mirii's head tilted to the right. "Something bothering you, Hunley?"

"… sigh…" He shrugs, lowering his eyelids and opening his arms. "Nothing, Mirii…"

"Hunley?!" Mirii frowns a lot. "What's the meaning behind"

Her mouth sealed and her ears rose: footsteps sounds beating vaguely on her eardrums. The girl turns to her left, twisting her body in the same direction while jumping a little forward. The noises were increasing. Her eyes expanded.

"Oh no… could it be?!" Her hands covered her mouth, as her irises shrunk. "Th-that fiend we heard just a minute in the past…"

"N-no!" Hun walks backwards, as his head kept looking down the corridor. "I-I don't want to see"

"Sh-sh!" Her right hand grabbed Hun's left hand.

"Mirii! Wh-what do you have in mind now?!" He whispers, as his left hand kept pulling the girl's right hand.

"Wait just a moment, Hunley…!" Mirii frowns slightly.

From the corridor's right corner, someone with a light skin and tied tentacles appeared: he was wearing long brown pants, a green shirt with short sleeves, a black cowboy hat and dirty black shoes. His face had signs of beard and faint black stains around it.

His right hand was holding a small lamp with fire inside its glass.

"Hey you! Hold it right there!" He runs over the two Inklings.

They looked at each others' faces, while their jaw dropped.

"Wh-what's going on, now?!" His left foot moved backwards.

"Hunley, stand still." Mirii rose her head a little, frowning and folding her arms even tighter. "An ordinary man isn't an acceptable justification to dare an unnecessary escape."

The man slows down, standing in front of Mirii and Hun: both turned their head over him. The adult breathes loudly for a short period of time.

"Alright, you two!" He turns the oil lantern's wick down with his left fingers, facing again the two Inklings with a frown. "Explain how did you enter inside those mines!"

"Tsk." Mirii's hands rest on her hips. "First, reveal your name and occupation."

"What?!" He left his mouth open, lifting his posture. "Who do you think you are?! The authority?!"

"Why such aggressive question?" Her eyes squeezes a little. "Your position is lacking solid evidence for treating two young Inklings, like lifeless criminals."

"My position…?" His eyebrows rose, as his right forefinger points on himself. "You mean, if I have some powers or something like that?"

"Correct." She nods, now taking her right tentacle and stroking it. "None of our information will leave our minds, until you"

"I'm a miner." He coughs once, then scratches his back. "I was just retrieving some gold from out of fresh walls, when I heard your voices here!"

"Hmm…" Mirii lowers her head, closing her eyes. "Interesting, but you failed to comprehend your mental task."

"Huh?! I-I said" He opens his arms.

"No, sir." Her head rose, as her eyes open and her arms folded. "My request is to see your rights to use your voice against innocents."

"Uh… hey!" He frowns, as his wrists landed on his sides. "Who said you two are innocent?! Why…" He lowers his eyelids. "Are you playing some kind of mind tricks on me?!"

"Hmpf. And what that reason would be?" Mirii shakes her head, closing her eyes. "Why I should manipulate an ordinary man, doing his honest job? Is there something more important than gold, sealed inside the mine's walls?"

"Ehm…" The man lowers his head over the ground, as his right hand rubs his chin. "No… bu-but that doesn't mean you are up to something bad!" He looks over the girl's eyes, frowning a bit. "After all, this is the first time I'm seeing you! No wait… actually, **this is the first time I saw strangers around here**!"

"Uhm… the first time?" Her right forefinger taps her right cheek, as her left hand grabs her right elbow.

"Yeah! This mountain is off-limit for visitors, strangers, citizens…" His left forefinger was standing on each of his right hand's fingers. "… even the mayor can't snoop around the gold!"

"Hmm… certainly fascinating." She smiles slightly, now folding her arms. "This must be an important role for such city as The Land of Riches…"

"You bet!" He puffs his chest, sniffing loudly. "I-I always dreamed to crawl around caves, searching for treasures… which is ironically my job!" He chuckles. "This mountain is drenching in gold… and the funny thing is that I'm searching and digging inside it for 10 whole years!"

"10 years?" Mirii taps her right foot, as her arms folded even more. "In 5 years, an entire population would discover materials for two mountains of the same size."

"Good point!" He nods, as his right forefinger points at the girl. "But there is a catch with this one in particular…"

"Which is…?" Her head tilts slightly to the right.

"Miners actually kept digging in the same mountain for 5000 years." He grins, chuckling a bit.

"What?! Impossible!" She frowns, as her right foot steps forward. "This statement can't be taken seriously by anyone possessing a sane mind!"

"Ah ah!" He looks to the left for a moment. "Everyone from the city knows the unique proprieties of this mountain." He stares at the girl. "Like I was saying, finding gold here is like finding treasure… because every time I come back here, **the paths change all the sudden**!"

Mirii expands her eyes, as her irises shrunk.

"Wait… the paths… change?" Her back tilts backwards a little.

"Yeah! Pretty cool, huh?!" He grins. "It's kinda hard to explain how that happens… but scientists claim that the mountain is been cursed by powerful wizards and there is no way to control those changes at all!" He opens his arms. "I think the story behind it was that… uhm… what was that one again?" He looks over the rocky ceiling.

"Before you pronounce the story, sir…" Her eyebrows rose, as her mouth downturns. "Is there a way to figure out those changing paths?!"

"Ah, that? Heh…" He shrugs. "I'm surprised to see two kids getting over the Minecart Meeting point this easily…"

"So, what are you claiming is…" She moves forward once, as her irises shrunk even more and her teeth gritted.

"Lady, sometimes I'm stuck here for an entire day!" He chuckles. "It depends from whatever luck is saying about me…"

"Huh?" Hun looks up-left, as his right forefinger scratches his chin. "Who is Luck?"

"That's not a person, Hunley." Mirii turns over the boy. "He answered that finding the escape route is an erratic gamble."

"A gamble?!" His hands rose and his elbows bended, while his mouth downturns and his eyebrows rose. "Get that away from me! Dad always said that gambling does nothing but wasting an entire harvest season!"

"Your dad is quite the wiser there!" The man laughs. "If only people would know how hard it's to even find this darn gold… they wouldn't even think to play bets and games."

Mirii turns over him.

"Mr. Miner, I'm sorry to bluntly get to the point, but we need your help." She frowns, as her right foot stomps forward. "We entered inside those mines from the upper side, unaware of the mountains' fiendish gimmicks."

"Huh…? Another…" His eyes expanded. "Another entrance?! Where?!"

"From the upper side, sir." She nods, as her head turns over the minecart. "I'm not sure we could ask luck itself, to find that elusive entrance again…"

"Wait a second!" He leans forward, as his eyebrows were high on his forehead. "How did you get here anyway?! If you came from the other side… you must have met my colleagues! They camped right near the rails, since the Minecart Meetings never change their locations!"

"Your colleagues…?" Her eyebrows rose, her mouth downturned.

"Yes!" He turns to the right, seeing the minecart. "If the minecart is here, that means you clearly saw at least one of my colleagues: his job is to inform me whenever there is a new pile of gold to retrieve from this vehicle… and you couldn't even jump in, without at least a very valid reason."

Mirii and Hun look at each other: the boy swallows silently.

"Well? Why are you looking to yourselves? Like… is there something wrong…? … wait just a second." He picks up a walkie-talkie, hanging from his belt's right side.

He lift a small switch, as his right hand brings the device near his mouth.

"Sam? Hey Sam."

A buzzing sound was coming out from the device. He frowns a bit.

"Sam?! Come on, man! This is serious!"

The buzzing sound kept flowing out of the walkie-talkie…

"For the love of… SAM!" He frowns a lot.

"I'm afraid he can't answer to you, at this very moment…" Her head lowers a lot, as her hands are clasped together. "… and I'm not sure if he will."

Silence fell down, as the man's irises shrunk.

"… no…" He starts shaking his head. "You can't mean…"

"Sir…" Her head rose. "During our journey through those corridors, we found… clothes and shoes."

"Huh?! Clothes…?" His head tilts to the right.

Mirii nods.

"They had scratches and…" Mirii looks to her left. "And looked like something a miner would wear."

"WHAT?!" His hands slammed his head. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! THAT'S… that's just plain stupid!" He frowns a lot. "You two…" He lifts his posture, sniffing loudly. "You must come with me."

"Hmm?!" Mirii moves her back backwards, as her mouth was left open.

"This time, I don't want to hear any objections!" He shakes his head, closing his eyes. "If the police is going to interrogate someone… that would be you!"

"No!" Mirii's right hand fell on her chest, as her left arm stretches forward. "You are mistaken! We are not responsible for"

"Oh yeah?! Then who, missy?! I didn't do it!" His hands rest on his body. "The miners' family are going to call them… and when they will get too suspicious, they'll send the turfing police right here! And guess who's going to visit the prisons?! Me! Like, who else is here besides those two brats?!"

"Nonsense!" Mirii shows her fangs. "We can easily prove our innocence!"

"With forged evidence I bet!" He chuckles a bit. "Yes… that was your plan all along, isn't it? You wanted to murder someone… and you are trying to pin the crime over me!"

"NO!" Her hands waved sideways. "That's ridiculous! Why would we"

"No more chit-chat, lady!" He walks over the girl, with his left arm stretching forward. "You better stand still and don't try to fight"

Suddenly, Hun pushes the man as he falls on his back. His right hand catches Mirii's left one as he sprints over the left corridor.

"NO, HUNLEY!" Her head twists behind, as her eyes rest on the man. "He's really going to think we are murderers!"

"Auugghh!" He quickly stands up. "Come back here, criminals! You'll not get away from justice!"

The two Inklings turned to the right, as the man's voice was echoing throughout the corridor.


	34. Chapter 33 - Monster

**Alright, if you are liking this story so far, please send in a review!**

* * *

Oil lantern hanging on the walls, tools laying down... Mirii and Hun kept running, while hearing the man's voice blasting around the corridors. They took a turn to the left, sprinting down another corridor with oil lanterns and tools: the walls had cracks spreading across, with some small quantities of gold in each of them.

The boy turns his head behind, seeing their footprints.

"Hunley!" Mirii was breathing loudly, as a frown decorated her face. "Keep your sight on the front!"

"S-sorry!" He returns looking forward.

In front of them, a wall with an horizontal path crossing from left to right. Mirii's head twists left and right.

"To the right!" She points her forefinger over the right corner.

The Inklings turned to the right, sprinting down a long corridor: only the sound of their steps were echoing throughout, as only wooden boards and oil lanterns were spread on the walls. A small chunk of fire was inside each lantern, while parts of the areas were swallowed by the darkness.

"Hunley, let's cease our run right in this instant." The girl slows her legs down. "Because… uff… being careless would do nothing but ruining our perfect careers."

Mirii stops, as her hands grabbed her knees. Hun slides a bit forward, walking back towards the girl. He was breathing silently with his mouth.

"So… what are we going to do now?" He looks to his left, trying to focus to the very far away wall. "For now, there is only this path… so, we continue in the same way?"

"Of couse we continue to proceed from this direction, Hunley." Mirii stands up, smiling. "Why would you always underestimate your intelligence? It's capable to solve the most difficult enigmas known to Squid."

"Well… in all seriousness, you are the one who solves mysteries like nothing." He smiles, as he walks closer towards Mirii. "I mean, while we were taking some breath… you could have realized the solution for this magical maze!"

Mirii giggles a bit.

"My legendary deduction skills may detect every detail out of place…" She slightly rose her head. "But even a professional detective must face some…" She coughed once, as her head turns down-right. "… limitations."

"Huh?" Hun shook his head, as his eyes squeezed a little. "What did you say?"

The girl immediately looks over the boy, as sweat was forming on her forehead.

"Nothing to memorize!" She swallows silently. "Just remember to always follow perfection! Th-that's the only rule everyone learns ever since kindergarten!"

"Ehm…" Hun looks up-right, as his right hand scratches the back of his head. "What was kindergarten again…?"

Mirii sealed her mouth, as her eyes were staring down the boy's face. Suddenly, a loud breeze passed by: the girl's tentacles lifted and waved ahead. The fire inside each oil lantern leaves only a line of smoke. Darkness conquered the corridors, leaving only a very blurry blue light which stood on squares right in front of each oil lanterns.

The Inklings yelled in a second, turning left and right and expanding their eyes.

"Wh-what's happening?!" Hun's mouth downturned a lot, his eyebrows were up and his arms opens.

"A message of danger and despair!" Mirii's eyebrows rose, her teeth were showing. "Hunley, we must dare an escape!"

The girl sprinted down the corridor, disappearing in the darkness, reappearing under the blurry light. Hun reached her left side, occasionally turning behind.

"Mirii! Wait just a"

"No! Don't talk, please!" Her head rose up a bit. "Our steps aren't too loud… we must use our ears to catch the smallest of the noises, instead of our voices!"

Hun kept looking over Mirii, sealing his mouth. Her heart was beating faster, as her mind was instantly hearing that sound… she closes her eyes, as her mouth was mumbling something in a very low voice. As the girl opens her eyes, she finds herself approaching the right corner.

A moan passed throughout the Inklings' ears: they slowed down, standing still immediately. They looked at each other: Mirii leans on Hun, as her arms wrap around him. Some other sounds came in: one of them was resembling a dogfish chewing down meat. The following one… made Mirii's heart jump out, almost hiding an incoming gasp.

Hun's throat was trying to cough something which wasn't visible at all. Not even the cough came out. Mirii kept moving her lips, with her eyes flattening to no end. She reopens them, frowns a bit and took a deep breath.

"Hunley…" Her voice got ant low. "… stay here… let me discover the beast, behind this right corner…"

His gasp chocked at the same time. His head kept shaking, almost spinning around! The girl shushes once, still holding her lungs. The boy hugged, pulling the girl closer to him. Her cheeks got brighter, as her legs felt melting in place.

She pushes him gently, as her right forefinger points down the ground. Hun sighs, as his arms were down. Together with the noises, some occasional grunts were making the walls tremble. Mirii turns over the corner, frowning and keeping her posture. She leans her back on the wall, moving sideways and stopping right before the corner.

Her body tilts, as her irises steered to the eyes' right corner. A long tail moved left and right in a slow rhythm. The girl tilted a bit more, as her heart pounded loudly. What she saw next was a large leg with a foot composed by just three toes.

Chocking sounds were coming from the creature, as splashes of a black substance kept flying off and resting down on the floor. Her left leg stretched more, as the girl now holds her breath. Her irises tracked down the body which had two short arms, larger than hers.

That right hand had a cage, though… if Mirii would grab her legs, she could have stood inside. Finally a massive head was right on sight: the eyes were dark blue and the teeth were as sharp as swords. Under the blurry light, the creature took a large piece of gold which the hands threw inside the mouth.

Black liquid flew away from the teeth, the monster coughed and snorted. In just a second, the gold was spat out: it rolls down, touching the wall. The girl's eyes almost popped out.

" _Impossible! It's simply, outrageously impossible!_ " Her thoughts were shouting out of her ears.

The creature bends down, touching with the nose… a black material.

" _I can't believe this… th-that liquid I analyzed earlier… its source comes from this monster?!_ " She tilted even more, as her tentacles were resting down on the ground.

The monster growled, as the right iris steered away from the center. Mirii let out a loud gasp, as her hands were covering her mouth. She stood there, immobile. Not a single limb could move. Even the monster was standing still, showing the other leg next to the right one.

All the sudden, the right leg rose in the air… stomping on the ground, as the girl fell down on her left side. Hun rushes in front of the girl, holding her hands and pulling Mirii up and closer to him. His arms were almost hiding her face from the creature's cold irises.

The boy puffs his chest, frowning a lot.

"YOU BETTER STAY AWAY FROM US!" He walks backwards, breathing loudly. "OR ELSE I'M GOING TO ATTACK YOU FOR GOOD!"

The monster snorted, growling loudly against the two Inklings. Hun kept moving backwards, slowly… Mirii's eyes were a bit watery. Suddenly, the creature sprinted: the boy and the girl turned behind, running together while yelling at the top of their lungs.


	35. Chapter 34 - Cage

**Well, if you are reading this story and you are liking it... please, send in a review!**

* * *

The monster roared: Mirii and Hun covered their ears, while squeezing their eyes for a bit. When they opened them, their irises noticed candles in place of oil lanterns. Those were floating in the air, glowing a brighter blue light.

Mirii's eyes fell down: she gasped as her feet were touching the air. It felt like the ground, though… it even makes the same sounds as steps would when walking or running on the floor. Around the Inklings, there was complete darkness.

The girl's eyes went zigzagging, tracking down round blue lights which seemed to follow a line. The nearest round signs were located on the Inklings' left. Mirii thrusts her left forefinger on one of those blue lights, producing a breeze which hit the boy's left cheek: his eyes were already on the tip of the girl's forefinger.

"TO THE LEFT, HUNLEY!" She frowns, as her legs were moving faster.

Hun turns slightly on the left, aiming for the blue sign. His forehead impacted on the air, as his back fell and landed on the invisible ground. Yelping and holding his forehead with both his hands, the boy felt the world spinning around. His palms were capturing something liquid and mushy.

Steps and roars were coming all around him. His stomach was contracting itself: his legs sprung himself all the way up, turning over as his eyes perceived a play of blue colors. Mirii had her arms wide open, showing her back, as the monster was lowering down the head.

The boy dashes, with his right arm whipping towards Mirii's left hand. He catches her hand, which surface made his mouth hold a chuckle. Turning around, his legs were sprinting even faster, hearing a heavy breath right behind him.

 _THUMP!_

The monster stopped the legs, as the head lowers diagonally down-right. Grunts and roars made the Inklings' sight trembling and their hearts beat even faster. A smell of burned tire kept appearing, while inhaling the air.

"Hunley, before you turn" Her eyebrows were up, her mouth downturned.

"I'm seeing illusions! Is that what are you trying to say?!" His head twisted to the left, together with the shoulders.

Mirii left her mouth open, then smiling a bit.

"But why this is happening?!" Hun's irises bounced left and right, catching far away round signs.

"I'm suspecting the fiend is causing those visual phenomenon." Her head turns behind, seeing the monster running on the 4th round sign. She returns her head, frowning a bit. "Look, let's try to turn into multiple directions as much as we can!"

Hun nods, as his sight found an incoming round sign on his right. His right hand let the girl's hand free, as his shoulders twist to the right. Mirii's back bended forward, going down as her arms were right on her sides, with her hands almost touching her legs.

Their eyes fell on the line of blue circles to the left: Mirii hugged the left corner with her left shoulder, while Hun slides down a bit as his body was aiming to the left. Both the Inklings left dust, which stood in the air for a short period of time.

Suddenly, the round signs were moving left and right! Hun followed the circles with his head, as his jaw dropped.

"Oh no! Is the path changing?!" Immediately he turns his head over Mirii, with his eyebrows up.

"Hmpf! Don't let those childish plays fool your brain." The girl kept looking forward, passing the boy just slightly. "That dinosaur cannot beat pure perfection."

The Inklings immerged inside the darkness, popping out when a round sign was crossing sideways. One round sign kept moving back and forth on their right. Hun's forefingers landed on his forehead, still perceiving that mushy liquid…

"Mirii, when we are going to turn now?! Those lights are making my head spin!" He grits his teeth.

"Slow down, Hunley." Mirii's legs moved slowly, as her posture lifted. "The key for this puzzle is in the wise use of patience. Behind us, there is nothing but harmless light shows."

They boy slows down, sighing loudly. The girl approaches the invisible wall, as her right hand slides along her walk. Her arm stretches even more, as her hand touches the air. She smiles, turning over Hun.

"I announce the solution in front of you, Hunley." Mirii nods. "The journey is officially resumed."

"Alright, Mirii!" He smiles widely, walking near the girl. "That bump I got is still burning a lot…"

"Unfortunately, our situation prohibits me to properly apply medications." Her right hand took her right tentacle, stroking it. "However, the disappearance of the dinosaur can be counted as an undeniable advantage."

"True!" His head looks forward. "But what about those blue lights…? Why we are still seeing them?"

"The monster's powers must have altered our sight. Maybe this unpleasant effect is not definitive…" Mirii gently throws her right tentacle behind, as her right forefinger taps her right cheek.

Suddenly, the round signs were now moving around: some in a clockwise direction, others in a counter-clockwise direction.

"Oh no!" The boy stops, as his head followed one blue circle at the time. "And now?!"

"Just a miserable attempt to stop our progress." Mirii clenches her fists, while walking. "Keep walking, Hunley."

Hun sprints a bit, slowing down once reached Mirii's left side. The circles seemed blurry, as the eyes couldn't stand on them. The boy closes his eyes, shaking his head quickly. In a jiffy, the darkness took every single round sign.

Quickly, the light from the smartphone emerges, as it moves left and right. Rocky walls and wooden boards were caught in the range.

"The games are over, at last." Mirii's voice was echoing throughout the corridor. "Although, the oil lanterns don't have any fire in them…"

"Why that question, Mirii? Did we walk through darkness just before?" He coughed once.

"True question, Hunley… however, with the new acquired information, such apparently-normal situation is hiding an important contradiction."

The light hit a wall, with another shut off oil lantern. It moves left and right, as the corridor fell silent.

"What contradiction?" The boy's right hand was briefly shown by the light.

"That miner claimed that the mountain is actually cursed. The paths suffer modifications, each time you walk into new directions…" Her left forefinger appears right from under the light.

"Yes… so?"

Step sounds were heard, blasting around the Inklings.

"Hunley, who lights the lanterns?"

The steps dominated the air, followed by some noises from the distance.

"I don't know this one, Mirii… do you?"

"The curse itself causes such effect." Her voice ringed inside the boy's ears. "When we were first venturing inside the mountain, that monster must have been around…" Her smartphone's light rests on different-sized, shining pieces of gold.

"So, what are you saying is that the monster is still around?!" His voice blasted throughout the corridors.

"Correct as always, Hunley. That creature must be related to those fallen clothes found on the ground."

The smartphone's light pointed right at the monster's head: a roar made the Inklings jump, as oil lanterns were instantly filled with blue fire. Immediately, her device fell inside her pocket. The boy stands in front of the girl, as his fists were almost near his face.

Another roar echoed throughout their ears. The boy's limbs kept trembling, same for Mirii.

"Hey, I-I can't move!" His teeth gritted, his eyebrows stood up.

"Me too!" Her irises bounced left and right. "That dinosaur must be the responsible for such curse!"

The creatures' steps were making the ground shake: the two Inklings were standing perfectly still, as Mirii's tentacles were like glued on her sides. The monster lifts the cage, as the eyes were on Mirii and Hun: they closed their eyes.

"Yee-haw!"

Their eyes reopen quickly. On the beast's back, an adult male Inkling was sitting right on it: his left hand was holding the left side of the monster's head, while his right hand was waving the cowboy hat. Grunting and snorting, the creature jumped and kicked around, impacting over the walls and knocking out an oil lantern.

"What's matter, rock-head?! Can't get this miner down, huh?! Nice try capturing my colleagues and making me believe those kids were the ones responsible for such mess!"

The monster roared, kicking a wall: the ground trembled even more, as the wall had visible cracks on it. The creature shakes the head violently, even falling down on the right side: the miner jumped away, as the right hand threw a plastic gun up in the air. It kept flipping, until his right hand caught its handle.

"Say your prayers, coal-face!"

The man's weapon shoots many small, blue ink projectiles, all landing around the monster. The creature turned, as ink moved all the way down, resting near the feet. The miner dropped his jaw, as his eyes expanded.

"No… how come it's not effective?!"

The monster bends, letting out a long roar: it penetrates inside the man's ears, as his limbs were now trembling.

"What the?!" He shows his teeth. "What did you do to me?!"

The creature lifts the cage above the man's head.

"Argh! Nooooo!"

Suddenly, his clothes were floating in midair: they fell all above his shoes. The Inklings yelled, as Mirii's eyes were watery. The monster turns behind, as the eyes were right on the two. Giant steps followed after.

"Wh-what happened to him?!" Mirii swallows loudly. "Who are you?!"

The monster stops, as his eyes were now on the girl.

"… I'll be back, Squids." His voice was very deep. "That man wasted all my magic… next time, you'll be all captured."

Mirii snarls loudly. Gradually, the creature dissolves into thin air, as blurry lights were coming from the oil lanterns. The Inklings' limbs stopped trembling, as both threw out a loud sigh. Hun dashes on Mirii, with his arms wrapping around her shoulders.

"It's all over, now… th-the nightmare is finally over." His eyes were squeezing.

"Don't declare any positive results, Hunley." Her arms were right on his back. "The exit is still out of our reach."

The boy opens his eyes, as his eyebrows were up. Suddenly, the eyes expanded and his mouth opened up wide.

"Mirii! You'll never believe this!" His smile grew a lot, as his arms let the girl free. "Look behind you!"

The girl twists behind: her eyes grew and her smile brightened her face. In front of the Inklings, a wide open entrance: it had a long sea of grass, some trees around. In the distance, a collection of tall buildings with some windows coughing out a light source.

"I can't believe this!" Her hands fell on her mouth, then she sprints right over the entrance. "Let's get out of here, Hunley! The Land of Riches awaits our arrival!"

Hun dashes, standing on Mirii's left side: together, the two Inklings passed the entrance, breathing some fresh air and smiling widely.

* * *

 **Alright! What you just read was the first part of this story. Now, it's time for Inkinators: a Splatoon fanfiction to finally return with new chapters!**

 **When the newest chapter will be released...? Very soon! As for Inkinators: Christmas 2015... well, the newest chapters will probably be released much later.**

 **Wanna know where you can read Inkinators: a Splatoon fanfiction? You can find the story in my profile.**

 **See you all in the next chapter of Inkinators: a Splatoon fanfiction!**


End file.
